Descent Into The Void
by RBR
Summary: Alex had been through too much in the past year... It was nothing compared to this. Please read the warnings inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! This is my first AR fanfic. and I just can't wait to post it! I hope you like it and review, because honestly it'll encourage me to write faster and It would tell me how you, the readers, feel about this story. So please review.**

**Disclaimer: I asked AH for the rights to Alex Rider, but he won't even share. (Huffs and stomps feet)**

**Oh and just a quick note here, this story is rated M for Non-con, torture and Language.**

**Now that that is done, Enjoy. (Takes a deep breath and clicks the post button.)**

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Alex Rider was in pain. Pain so intense that he had to fight, with each step he took, to stop himself from collapsing to the ground and curling into a tight ball. The rain pounded him as he 'ran' across the unfamiliar terrain. All he knew was that he was somewhere in the countryside and that he had to find a place to hide and fast before _they_ found him.

The gravel road seemed to stretch on endlessly and no matter for how long Alex ran, the scenery around him didn't change. Endless grassy planes surrounded him with the occasional tree marking his progress. The only sources of light were the thin beams of moonlight that occasionally penetrated the black rain clouds. By now his clothes were sticking to him like leeches, slowly sucking the warmth out of his body. He shivered violently, pulling his thin jacket closer to his body but it didn't do any good as it was also drenched, not only in water but blood too.

He stopped.

_Just for a few seconds _he reassured himself as he sat, or rather collapsed, on the ground. Alex pulled up his now stained sleeve and fought not to retch at the sight. He could barely make out the deep gash on his upper left arm in the dim light, but the coppery smell of dried and fresh blood was nearly enough to send him over the edge. Quickly, he ripped a long strip from the fabric of his jacket and held it up in the rain to clean it. It wasn't exactly the sterile bandage that his wound obviously needed but it wasn't like he had any choice. Alex wrapped the makeshift tourniquet around the gash, wincing as the rough fabric touched the sore area. He would just have to hope that the wound would not get infected. Next he checked the bullet wound in his right thigh. Earlier he had tied a piece of fabric, that he had found hanging on a clothesline a few kilometers back, to stop the flow of blood and put pressure on the wound. The only reason why he was able to get this far was the adrenaline and that measly cloth, so he made sure that it had not loosened and tied another knot just to be sure.

Alex continued his checkup noting the multitude of cuts and bruises that littered his body. Most of the cuts have scabbed over and the bruises have fainted slightly turning from dark purple to a sickly shade of blue. He really was, literally, a bloody mess.

After he was satisfied that nothing was infected, yet, Alex stood up unsteadily. He swayed slightly as a strong gust of wind and rain rammed into him and he barely managed to stay upright. When he stopped swaying, Alex continued stumbling forward, determined to find any means of communication so that he could call for help. _My best bet would be MI6, but I swore to leave my past, and anything related to it, behind me. I wanted to be normal again. To forget and where did that get me?! Stuck in cell for a whole month as Zeljan Kurst's prisoner that's where. _Alex thought sardonically, shuddering not just from the cold but from the horrid memories that suddenly bombarded his mind. With a lot of effort he managed to push back the memories, he could deal with them later when he was safe.

At that exact moment, Alex heard the unmistakable roar of an approaching vehicle above the monotonous spatter of raindrops against the rough ground. Panic gripped his heart and blood froze in his veins as he thought furiously about what to do next. There were no rocks or trees to hide behind and no shelter of any kind for as long as his eyes could make out in the murky darkness of the storm.

Purely out of desperation, Alex left the gravel road and turned left venturing deeper into the plane. He figured that the rain and the semi-darkness would shield him from whoever was in that car. He ran harder and faster, ignoring the constant throbbing in his thigh, and tried to put as much distance between himself and the road. The sound of the car was getting louder and louder as the car came closer and closer. It was then that he spotted it. A small oak tree about ten meters away and made for it, seeing as it was the only shelter he had for miles.

He never made it.

Just as the safety of the tree was only five meters away, Alex felt his left foot sinking into the ground. He stumbled and fell face first into the dirt, cutting the side of his neck on a sharp rock. The pain was unbearable to begin with but then cool adrenaline rushed through his body masking the agony. He had fallen into a muddy ditch. It wasn't very deep just about a meter high and two meters wide. The thick grass along with the near pitch black darkness and relentless rain, prevented Alex from seeing the ditch and therefore he fell into it.

Alex got to his knees just as the vehicle, a black Range Rover, sped past. He caught a glimpse of the driver and recognized it as one of the men charged with guarding his cell when he was a prisoner and he wasn't alone. The back seat window was open, through it he saw another man holding a machine gun and aiming it at the landscape in front of him. It was clear to Alex that they were looking for him and had he not been lucky enough to fall into this trough, he would've been dead by now or worse, recaptured.

Alex sighed in relief when the Range Rover was finally out of earshot. He stood up, carefully examining his surroundings and listening for any other enemy vehicles. When he sensed none, he began to walk. This time, in the opposite direction to the gravel road and deeper into the wilderness.

He walked for hours. The never-ending throbbing of his body becoming even more intense with each passing second. He had lost his sense of direction and was worried that he was walking in circles, but there was no way of telling if that's true because the landscape didn't change and the rain was making it even harder to navigate. In addition he was freezing, the cold rainwater that soaked his blonde hair and muddy clothes, combined with the icy wind, seemed to push him to the verge of hypothermia.

Alex's foot landed on concrete.

It was so strange, so different to the mud he had been walking on, that he thought he was hallucinating. It wouldn't have surprised him, his sleep deprived brain and drained body, were very capable of doing just that. He strode further looking for any sign indicating that this was just a figment of his imagination. But it wasn't and he was walking up a pathway leading to a house.

_Now I'm definitely dreaming. _Alex thought in disbelief as he examined the two story building in front of him. The house was painted white and had a tiled roof. Ivy grew along the wall facing Alex, all the way to the second floor window. A stone chimney was barely visible on the roof along with a small satellite dish. It certainly looked very homey and Alex felt a pang in his chest as he remembered the last place he had called home, his Uncle Ian's Chelsea house where he had lived with his housekeeper Jack Starbright. Another pang hit him as he remembered that she was dead, blown to pieces because of him. Tears flooded out of the teen's eyes, he had loved the American like an older sister. She was the only person who had cared for him before and after Ian's death. She had wanted him to stop the spying and had practically begged Alan Blunt and Tulip Jones to leave him alone. However, no matter how hard she tried he was always blackmailed into staying.

Now he had no one to care for him. The Pleasures had volunteered to take him in and adopt him, but they were also dead. Just like everyone whom he had loved and cared about. He was fifteen now yet he had witnessed more death and misery than any normal person did in a lifetime. He was no longer innocent and naïve. He desperately wished he was, but he wasn't and nothing could ever change that. Alex wiped the tears away angrily, he couldn't just stand around and cry like a pathetic kid when he was still in danger.

Now that he was in front of the house, he had a hard choice to make either keep on walking and hope he stumbles on a phone booth or whatever, or he knocks on the door and asks the residents if he could use the phone. It would seem the easier choice was the latter but with his bloody jacket, neck and trousers. The people inside would probably call the police first and listen later. _Wait, but isn't that what I want. The police would protect me from Scorpia right? And they might even contact MI6, just like what happened when I hijacked the crane_. Alex pondered.

Having finally decided, Alex hobbled to the wooden door. As he walked he felt the adrenaline rush deserting him, leaving him dizzy and on the verge of unconsciousness. With a huge effort he made it to the door and ringed the doorbell three consecutive times. The occupants were asleep judging by the lack of light and noise coming from within the house and he hoped that they were light sleepers...

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**So what do you think? Review and tell me, I'm open to all kinds of comments regarding this story =)**

**RBR**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! I'm back and here's a new chapter of Descent Into The Void. This chapter was supposed to be up by thursday but because of your nice reviews I just couldn't leave you waiting for long so here it is, hope you enjoy and review.**

**Special thanks to: Blissful Winter, Mythomagic-Champion, Albany, Bastet'syoungestkitten and my two guest reviewers for your encouraging reviews. They made me update this so soon. Also thank you to everyone to everyone who had put me on their Favourite/Alert list and to you readers! (BTW this story has 126 hits, for the first chapter WOW!) **

**Disclaimer: I have a dream, that one day I'll own the rights to Alex rider! (As if...)**

**Warnings: Blood and after effects of torture.**

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Ben Daniels was fast asleep when the doorbell sounded in the house. It was the second ring that woke him up, however. He looked at the alarm clock on his bedside table and saw that it was 3:00 a.m.. _Who the hell is it? _Ben thought in alarm, now wide awake. He was out of bed when he heard one more ring. Anxiety started to creep into him and he decided to fetch his gun just in case the ringer wasn't a lost tourist asking for directions.

He opened the bedroom door, waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness and tiptoed carefully down the short hallway till he reached the stairs. The house was eerily quiet except for the constant clattering of raindrops on the roof and windows. Ben held the gun readily in front of him as he slowly descended the wooden stairs, step by step pausing at any creak before continuing with even more caution. As soon as his foot touched the ground, a bolt of lightning illuminated the house in a harsh white light, before plunging it back into near darkness. Milliseconds later the roar of thunder followed. It was so loud that Ben thought that the storm was actually inside the house. _The storm is definitely getting worse, _Ben noted grimly.

He checked the living room for intruders even though there was no sign of forced entry and the intruders wouldn't ring the bell before bursting in. However, it was a habit he had obtained from being an SAS soldier to an MI6 operative, never leave anything to chance. After he was done with his inspection he proceeded to the door with a slight feeling of dread. He held his gun at the ready, before slowly unlocking the door and opening it.

The first thought that ran into his mind was about how fierce the storm had become. The sound of the wind alone was enough to make him clamp down on his ears for fear of being deafened. There were pools of rainwater all over the loan and the concrete pathway leading to his house was being pounded so mercilessly by the rain that he wouldn't be surprised if he saw it cracking under the pressure.

The second thought was _Oh shit! _A boy, probably a teenager, was collapsed, most likely unconscious, at his doorstep. He could barely make out the boy's features in the dark, but he could see pale skin and what seemed to be dirty blond hair. The boy was soaked from head to toe in rainwater and mud and he was extremely cold to touch. Ben placed his hand on the boy's neck to check for pulse. It was there, faint but thankfully steady so he wasn't as bad as he looked.

Without thinking about the consequences, Ben leaned down and picked the boy up into his arms. He was light for a boy in his teen years, like he hadn't had a proper meal in a while. Sympathy and pity flared inside Ben as he carried the boy inside, locking the door behind him. He ignored the lights and hurried to the downstairs bathroom, to get a towel or something to dry the boy with. He wasn't worried by the prospect of tripping on anything in the dark because he had memorized the house's layout by heart.

He opened the bathroom door and turned on the light. Quickly, but gently he laid the boy down on the white tiled floor near the tub and turned to get a towel from the hanger. He stopped in shock and disbelief when he looked down the way he had come from. The floor was wet and most likely to cause him to trip, but that wasn't it. Drops of blood made a trail from the door to where the teen's body was lying, ending in a pool underneath him. Ben looked down and realized that the wetness he had felt while carrying the boy wasn't just from the water but the blood too. His hands were stained red and his clothes had blotches of blood from where the teen's body had pressed against his as he carried him.

Ben forced himself to calm down before making his way to a small cabinet on the wall where he kept his medical kit, grabbing a towel with him on the way. He opened the cabinet's door, thankful that he always made sure that it was well stocked, and retrieved the kit. He was by the boy's side in seconds and immediately started to strip the boy of his jacket and top. What he saw made him gasp in horror. The boy's torso was littered with cuts and a rainbow of bruises. Some of the bruises and cuts had started to heal and faint, but most of them looked painfully recent. Ben looked at the boys left arm and found one of the main sources of the blood flow. There was a cloth wrapped around the boy's upper arm. It should have stopped the bleeding but the cloth was saturated with the red liquid, making it virtually useless.

Ben tore off the cloth and cleaned the large gash that extended from the boys shoulder to his elbow using antiseptic cream. It needed stitches and Ben was suddenly glad that he had taken that medical course when he was with the SAS.

After he was done, he wrapped the boy's arm firmly in thick white gauze then proceeded to treat and bandage the boy's neck, paying special care to it, seeing as it was so close to his throat. Ben started to clean the boy's chest with the damp towel to remove all the dried blood and mud that was crusted on it. When he was done he examined his handiwork, making sure that all the wounds were clean without any trace of mud or anything else that could cause infection.

His sharp eyes spotted a scar, it was hard to make out with the discolored skin from the bruises and he would've easily missed it if it weren't for his trained eye. It was undoubtedly from a bullet wound and the scar was directly over the boy's heart…

Ben suddenly turned his head to examine the blonde's face, fearing the worst. It was caked with mud but he used a new towel to clean it. Seconds later the boy's features were clear for him to see.

It was Alex Rider, just as he had guessed.

The realization brought tears to his eyes, _how much pain did this poor had to endure? _He asked himself. It was evident to him now that the gashes and bruises were most likely obtained through torture. Unintentionally, he found himself gazing at Alex's face. He looked so innocent, almost peaceful. Ben cursed Blunt and Jones for what they did to the kid. Turning him to a spy and ruining any chance of him being normal. Ben had read Alex's file after what happened at Dragon-nine, he had been impressed by what the boy had accomplished in just one year, but secretly thought that his boss should've been shot for what he did to Alex before his retirement.

Ben forced himself to clear his mind before returning to the task of bandaging his previous partner's injuries. He moved lower down the boy's body when his torso was taken care of. He took off Alex's black jeans, leaving him in just his black boxer shorts. There was another cloth tied around the blonde's thigh this time, just above the knee. Ben unwound the cloth, noting that Alex had made this one especially tight. The sight underneath wasn't pretty, with yellow pus oozing out of the puckered hole that he recognized immediately as a bullet exit wound. _This means that Alex was running away from whoever was holding the gun when he got shot. _Ben concluded as he tended to the wound. Luckily the bullet did not hit any bone and made it cleanly through without damaging any major blood vessels or nerves, however it would make it extremely painful for Alex to walk for the next month or so. The only problem was that the wound, despite Alex's efforts, had gotten infected. Hopefully after adding antiseptic cream and wrapping it in clean gauze the wound would heal without complications. Ben continued cleaning Alex's body from all the mud and the dirt till he was clean then hurried upstairs to get him some clean clothes. When he returned, he dressed the boy in dry underwear, a pair of grey baggy sweatpants and a white t-shirt that was a couple of sizes too big.

Ben carried Alex's unconscious body up the stairs, this time with the lights on, he couldn't risk falling and injuring the boy further. He passed the hallway and stopped in front of the guest bedroom, pushing the door open with his body. He turned on the light and stepped in. The room was medium sized, with dark blue walls and a double bed. There was a dresser on the wall opposite the bed. And a nightstand on each side of it with a lamp on top of each one. There was also a small light blue sofa facing the bed underneath a curtained window.

Ben lay Alex gently on the bed and tucked him in. For some unknown reason he felt his lips lift into a smile as he watched the boy sleep. The only sounds in the room were those of the storm, but in the safety of this room they seemed to be muffled and unthreatening. On impulse Ben sat down on the sofa and watched over the boy as he slept.

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Alex woke up the next morning feeling very warm and cozy. He opened his eyes feeling more and more confused with each passing second. He was in a bedroom. _Well this is odd; the last thing I remember is running on a gravel road under the rain. How did I end up here?_ Alex pondered while his eyes surveyed the room, memorizing all the details and noting any escape routes. He wasn't tied down, usually a sign that he wasn't a prisoner but he still had to check the closed door to see if it's locked to make a final decision. Alex was about to do just that when the door swung open.

Alex stiffened. A tall figure with pale skin, black hair and calm blue eyes stepped inside. "Ben." Alex greeted emotionlessly when he recognized the man.

"Alex." The curt reply came. Ben was carrying a tray, with what Alex guessed to be breakfast on it. He laid it gently on Alex's lap then took a seat on the sofa to his right. There were some fried eggs and two pieces of toast on the plate along with a glass of orange juice. However even though he was starving, he couldn't bring himself to eat. He sensed that something was definitely wrong with the Liverpudlian, because he was never this 'professional' with him. "Um, do you mind telling me where I am exactly?"

Ben looked taken aback slightly then his mask of indifference slid back on before replying. "You're in my house, which is about ten miles from London. I bought this house a few years back. Coming to the countryside always helped after a mission, be it with the SAS or MI6. I still have an apartment near 'the bank' in London in case you were wondering." He paused, "I answered your question as best as I could, now you should answer mine." Alex nodded albeit hesitantly. "Where were you in the past month? The agent that we sent to watch you when you moved in with the Pleasures… It was only meant for a couple of months." Ben replied reassuringly to Alex's raised eyebrow before continuing "Anyway, he reported, exactly thirty one days ago, that you had vanished without a trace one night. The house was set on fire and the whole family died in it. The firefighters who put the blaze out said that Elizabeth and Edward Pleasure's room was locked from the outside with no means of opening it from the inside. The windows were also tampered with. Sabina's room was the same."

Alex looked down his expression contorted in anguish and misery. He knew already that they were dead. Zeljian Kurst had taunted him quite a lot of times with it, made him watch the video feed from the cameras that they had secretly installed in the rooms. He had watched Ed and Liz clutching each other, with scared hopeless eyes that knew that they were about to die. Sabina had screamed out his name, begging him to help her as she took her last breath and died from lack of oxygen. He had watched her skin and hair as it shriveled under the intense heat before he could take it no longer and succumbed into the merciful darkness. He couldn't do anything to help them.

Finally he spoke in a quiet voice that was so very unlike his usually calm and confident self. "We went out for dinner that night in a fancy Italian restaurant, Ed said he had a surprise for me, but he wouldn't tell me what it was until after we finished eating. When we were done, he presented me with a ticket to go and watch Chelsea play Barcelona in Stamford Bridge for the semi-final match in the Champions League. I was speechless with gratitude." Alex allowed himself a small sad smile, which disappeared when he started speaking again. "When we got back we were all too exhausted to do anything so we just headed to our rooms to sleep." Alex paused, his hand clenched around the sheets, his food ignored. "When I entered my bedroom, Scorpia was waiting for me. Four agents wearing balaclavas attacked me, I couldn't fend them off. They injected me with a hypodermic syringe and I was out cold a few seconds later. I woke up in a cell the next day, shackled to a wall. And that is where I have been in the last month, now if you'll excuse me I must leave."

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**The bit about Chelsea and Barcelona is actually real, I can't remember when it happened or who won but it took place last season. I think I even watched it... urgh! I can't remember a thing now. Anyway, my long term memory is horrible. However, please take the time to review and tell me what you think.**

_**Oh and one more thing, would anyone like to be my beta? It won't be alot of work, I just need someone to re-read the chapters before I post them and point out any spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, that sort of thing. In addition, to giving me ideas and suggestions relating to the story. That's not much is it =p? If you feel up to it please PM me?**_

**Thank you all so much!**

**RBR**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello dear readers, RBR here! This new chapter is dedicated to Blissful Winter and Mythomagic-Champion for their lovely and encouraging reviews. Thank you!**

**Hits count: 315 HITS OH YEAH!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, simple as that... **

**Warnings: Language... yep that's about it for this chapter. **

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_Finally he spoke in a quiet voice that was so very unlike his usually calm and confident self. "We went out for dinner that night in a fancy Italian restaurant, Ed said he had a surprise for me, but he wouldn't tell me what it was until after we finished eating. When we were done, he presented me with a ticket to go and watch Chelsea play Barcelona in Stamford Bridge for the semi-final match in the Champions League. I was speechless with gratitude." Alex allowed himself a small sad smile, which disappeared when he started speaking again. "When we got back we were all too exhausted to do anything so we just headed to our rooms to sleep." Alex paused, his hand clenched around the sheets, his food ignored. "When I entered my bedroom, Scorpia was waiting for me. Four agents wearing balaclavas attacked me, I couldn't fend them off. They injected me with a hypodermic syringe and I was out cold a few seconds later. I woke up in a cell the next day, shackled to a wall. And that is where I have been in the last month, now if you'll excuse me I must leave."_

Alex removed the tray from his lap and placed it on the nightstand. He hadn't even touched the food, before he swung his legs over the side of the bed. Ben was next to him in no time, "What do you think you're doing?" he asked incredulously. "You are in no condition to walk," he bent down and lifted the edge of Alex's pants to reveal the bandage just above his knee. "You've been shot in the leg Alex. _Shot! _You can't walk."

"Watch me." Said Alex as he stood managed a few agonizing steps forwards before his leg gave out and his body slammed onto the wooden floorboards. He tried to stand up again, stifling the moans of pain that were begging to be let out. His left arm was throbbing painfully and he was careful not to lean on it as he slowly but unsteadily stood up.

Ben watched the boy struggle, knowing that if he had tried to help the kid, he'd just refuse. He was genuinely surprised when Alex finally stood up. His determination amazed Ben. By all rights Alex should be in bed for a month after all the injuries his body had accumulated, but here he is now fighting the pain to do whatever it is he had in his mind.

"Alex," Said Ben in a soothing voice that he never knew he had.

Alex was so shocked by the man's change of tone that he turned around abruptly, forgetting his plan of leaving, just to stare at him, completely dumbfounded. Ben ignored him and carried on "I'm sorry about what you had to go through in the past year. Blunt should've been killed for what he did to you not knighted before he retired. If you would allow me, I promise to take good care of you, at least until your wounds heal, and to help you in whatever way I could." He said sincerely.

The boy looked down unable to meet the older man's gaze any longer. His hands clenched into fists as he voiced his reply, "No." He said firmly. "I can't take it anymore. Do you have any idea how many people got hurt or died because they have showed me any kindness? Wolf got shot, _twice,_ while protecting me. My friend Tom was also hit by a stray bullet intended for me. Yassen was killed because he refused to shoot me down. J-Jack was blown up just to torture me and the pleasures were burnt alive because they actually treated me like a normal human being. Even you Ben, remember Dragon Nine. Major Yu shot you-"

"But that wasn't your fault." Ben interrupted.

"That's not the point. You know what I mean. Scorpia must be still hunting me down, it's only a matter of time before they find me here and if they learn that you've been sheltering me then, your dead!" Alex's voice had risen with every word he uttered until he was full out shouting. His body ached all over and all he wanted to do right now was to sleep and forget about Scorpia, Kurst and the death that seemed to follow him everywhere. "Please, Ben." He whispered, "Let me go, I don't want you to get hurt because of me. Please."

Ben stood in utter shock as he watched Alex, for the first time since he met him, cry. The boy's brown, fearless hard eyes were now a little softer and scared for his well-being. Scorpia has definitely discovered the boy's only weakness and it was clear that they had wasted no resources in exploiting it. _Alex isn't afraid of his own death, _Ben contemplated, _what he is really scared of, is watching the people close to him suffer and die while not being able to do anything to stop it. _The black haired man couldn't help feeling growing respect and pity for the blonde teenager with each passing second. He hoped that he could have protected him from these things.

He walked carefully towards Alex, not wanting to alarm the still sobbing boy, and wrapped his arms gently around him, pulling him into tight hug. It was like something was triggered in the back of Alex's mind at the contact, because right at that moment his quite weeping was transformed into loud desperate wailing. Alex clutched at Ben's shirt and his body started to quiver as memories of the past year flooded into his mind.

Ben held him closely while muttering words of reassurance into the boy's ears, like "It's OK Alex, you'll be fine." or "I'm here, you're not alone." However, the one thing that he couldn't bring himself to say, yet, was "You're safe." because Ben, like many others, knew that if Scorpia is after you then there is no way you could walk away unscathed. That is if you even managed to survive.

After what seemed like hours later, Alex had sobbed himself to sleep. Ben was very surprised when the boy's weight was fully on him and the sobs quieted down, indicating that the blonde had actually fell asleep while standing. Ben carried him to the bed, and laid him gently under the covers before, picking up the untouched breakfast, exiting the room and shutting the door carefully behind him.

He went downstairs to the kitchen to clean up the remains of the breakfast he'd had and deposit the tray he was carrying. Midway through the task, his phone rang. "Agent Daniels." Ben immediately recognized the voice on the other end of the phone call, even if he didn't, only one person had this number and that person was Mrs. Jones the new head of MI6.

"Yes Mrs. Jones how may I help you?" Daniels replied in a detached voice.

"How is Alex doing?" She asked. "After the detail you went into when describing his injuries last night, you had me quite worried."

_Yeah right, worried my arse. _Ben thought sarcastically but didn't voice his thoughts, yet. "All his wounds are healing quite well. The infected ones are in a much better condition. He woke up this morning and discovered that he can't walk without aggravating the bullet wound in his thigh, though."

"Good. May I speak with him?"

"No, he just went back to sleep," He said dismissively, "and no I won't wake him up." Ben replied, answering the question that Mrs. Jones was about to voice.

"But it is extremely important that he is debriefed, _Agent_ Daniels." Mrs. Jones sounded increasingly irritated with every syllable she uttered and he figured that if he wanted to keep his job, he must back down a little.

"Fine, but at least give him a week to rest, after all you forbade me from taking him to a hospital." Daniels tried reasoning with his boss, it rarely worked, but it seemed that Jones was in a generous mood today.

There was a pause as she thought it over, "Alright, but the debriefing will take place at the bank." The line went dead.

Ben gripped the phone with enough force to crush it. _How could they do this to Alex? _He thought incredulously. _He's barely fifteen he shouldn't be treated like he's twenty five. God, how am I even going to convince Alex to go to the bank without causing him to have a myocardial infarction*? _Ben sighed in frustration and impulsively smashed his fist against the nearest wall. If only he could get his hands on Blunt and Jones without getting arrested…

The Liverpudlian was forced out of some very dark thoughts at the sound of commotion upstairs. He ran up the stairs taking two steps at a time. His mind reeling at the possibility that the worst had happened and Scorpia had found them. The noise was coming from Alex's room and he immediately headed towards it.

The door flung open.

Ben froze. He was completely horrified at the sight in front of him. Alex was lying down on the bed, his hands flailing about as if trying to fight off the nightmare he was obviously having. His body squirmed and sweat broke on his pale face. Blood was running down his mouth and Ben feared the worst until he finally noticed that Alex had been biting on his tongue to prevent himself from screaming.

Pity welled up in Ben's chest as he moved towards the reluctant spy. He sat down on the bed next to the still thrashing Alex. His hand reached out, settling on the boy's head, gently stroking his fair locks. He started singing a lullaby that his mother used to sing to him before he went to bed when he was five:

_All night, all day.  
Angels watching over me, my Lord.  
All night, all day,  
Angels watching over me._

Sun is a-setting in the West;  
Angels watching over me, my Lord.  
Sleep my child, take your rest;  
Angels watching over me.

All night, all day,  
Angels watching over me, my Lord.  
All night, all day,  
Angels watching over me.**

Ben wasn't quite sure why he did it, but it seemed to be working as Alex's quivering became less violent and his breathing became calmer and steadier. The liverpudlian sighed in relief as he continued to card his fingers through the boy's hair.

After he was sure that Alex was calm enough, Ben stood up and headed for the door. The sound of somebody shifting behind him made him pause and turn around to check it out. Alex was lying on his side, looking up at Ben in gratitude. His cheeks were slightly flushed and he flashed the man a slightly timid smile. "Thanks." He mouthed.

"No problem, Alex. Just go back to sleep." Replied Ben gently as he walked out the door and shut it behind him. "No problem…"

* * *

Zeljan Kurst was not happy. In fact 'not happy' was the understatement of the century, he was furious and wasn't afraid of showing his emotions as he made his way to his office. Scorpia was over. All the board members were either dead or arrested, except him, and it was all because of a mere teenager, fifteen year old Alex Rider.

Just thinking about the boy made him want to punch the lights out of whoever was in front of him. In this case it was a guard who was unfortunate enough to be within Kurst's range at the time. The burly man barely escaped, with a broken arm and a giant bruise on his face, when Kurst was done with him. Kurst, however, just kept on walking as if nothing had happened.

As he traversed the winding corridors of his safe house, Zeljan started pondering the report that he had just received this morning. Alex Rider had escaped; although how he managed it was completely beyond him. He had placed two of his best men in front of the boy's cell. One of them was of course dead as punishment and the other was now out searching for their prisoner. His orders were clear. Capture the boy, alive, and bring him back here or he will end up like his colleague.

The report didn't state exactly how the boy had escaped but it outlined some details that seemed to be semi-helpful. Rider was not handcuffed when he was returned to his cell after the last torture session. He, of course, had the guard responsible shot. Rider was allowed once to the bathroom that night, but he had two guards with him and he hadn't escaped then. The list went on to describing some less significant things that Kurst thought weren't helpful at all. What really infuriated him about the whole ordeal was that his captive could've managed to escape without them even noticing until the next torture session was due, which was today noon, if it weren't for the guard patrolling the perimeter at the time, who almost caught him at the gates to his mansion. And to add insult to injury, even though the boy was shot in the leg, they couldn't follow him because the brat had sabotaged all of their vehicles, including his precious Bentley. It had taken the engineers three long hours to fix the damage and by then the brat was long gone.

_I'm gonna kill the fucking brat! _Kurst thought as he slammed the door to his office open. The sound echoed in the empty corridor.

The room was expensively furnished with vintage bookshelves and rugs along with a large mahogany desk and an exquisite leather chair behind it. Floor to ceiling windows dominated the wall behind Zeljan's desk, allowing the soft golden light of the morning sun to enter the large room. A large fire place occupied most of one wall with black statues, shaped like dragons on either side of it.

Kurst crossed to his chair and sat on it wearily. He briefly checked his mobile phone, but there was still no word from the hunting team. He turned to the sleek laptop computer on the desk in front of him, pressed his thumb against the manufacturer's logo and waited for his fingerprint to be scanned. A green light flashed momentarily after a few seconds, signaling that access was granted. Kurst opened the laptop and turned it on. He waited impatiently for it to boot, passing the time by thinking of the different things that he would do to _Agent _Rider when he was under his mercy again.

A small box appeared on the screen, asking for a password. Zelijan entered it hastily and the home screen appeared. A few clicks later, he was connected and a live image was projected onto his screen. The person he was currently 'meeting' with was an old contact of his, from the days when he'd worked as a police interrogator. The man was reliable, experienced and most importantly loyal to Kurst. He had the kind of face that you easily forgot as soon as your gaze wandered away from it. Middle aged, pale, with graying brown hair and dull brown eyes.

"Operation Armageddon is almost ready to be launched. In a few weeks everything will be in place and we will be awaiting your signal." The man spoke with a slight French accent, his eyes lighting up in sheer joy. "All we need is the scapegoat, which I was told that you would provide."

"That is true. However, Rider escaped last night." Said Zeljan grudgingly.

"That is unfortunate. I am sure that you will retrieve him before our deadline, Zeljan."

"Of course, Klaus, no one escapes me for long." Kurst's eyes glinted with fierce violence as he spoke.

An ugly smirk twisted Klaus's features. "Yes, my friend, I know. And I am sure that his punishment will be severe."

"It always is." Kurst said and cut the connection. He leaned back in his chair, content, finally he had heard some good news. Now all he had to do is capture the brat and wait.

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**(*) Myocardial Infarction = Heart attack (I just couldn't resist using that phrase, it sounds strange lol!)**

**(**) Apparently the owner of this lullaby is unknown.**

**I'm really interested in knowing what you guys thought so don't hesitate to review. They make me type faster and update sooner =D**

**Wish you the best**

**RBR**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi everyone! It feels like forever since I last updated and I apologize for making you wait so long. I started Medical college last week and things were a bit hectic, they still are but I felt guilty after recieving your lovely reviews and the notifications of the people who have put this story on their favorite or alert list so I decided to post this tonight rather than on Friday. (I'm so nice aren't I? LOL!)**

**Disclaimer: Stupid copy right is preventing me from owning Alex Rider ugh!**

**Hits Count: 746 Hits! Hell Yeah!**

**Warning: This is NOT a nice chapter there is torture, language and Non-con so be warned.**

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It was six o'clock in the morning and Alex had just woke up. Another nightmare had plagued his dreams and this time Ben wasn't there to snap him out of it. He shuddered. If the nightmare had been some manifestation of his jumbled mind, then he might have been able to deal with it, maybe even forget it. Unfortunately, it wasn't. It was a memory from his days as Kurst's prisoner. A replay of a horrid reality that he had to endure and live through.

_He was standing in the middle of a large, plain room. His wrists were shackled to a chain hanging from the ceiling and his ankles were restrained to the grimy floor. His shirt was a few feet away from him where the guard had carelessly discarded it after taking it off and tying him up. That was the reason why he was shivering right now. The temperature in the room had dropped drastically in the past few minutes and Alex's breaths came out in short shallow steamy white puffs. _

_He was in a constant state of alertness and apprehension, fully aware of the torture that was about to come. Instead of dwelling on it and giving his captors satisfaction in that, he had tried to free himself. He yanked relentlessly at the chain binding his wrists, but all he succeeded in doing was making his hands slick with blood. Eventually after a few more minutes, he gave up knowing that he had to break both thumbs to even have a small chance at succeeding. Eventhough he was desperate, sometimes breaching on suicidal, he still had some sense of self preservation that prevented him from maiming himself._

_The door behind him flung open._

_Alex went rigid in anticipation. Who would be his tormentor for the night? He prayed that it wouldn't be Kurst. _Anyone but Kurst would be bearable. _He thought as he heard the person's footsteps echo in the room. _

_His tormentor walked into his line of vision and Alex sighed inwardly. It wasn't Kurst. But still, if the man's looks were anything to go by, he was not to be underestimated. The man was muscled with a perfectly toned tanned body. He had short black hair and cruel blue eyes that glinted maliciously. A cold smirk was plastered across his face as his eyes settled on his to-be entertainment. _

_Something about that gaze, made Alex's insides churn in fear and suddenly he was wishing that it was Kurst that had walked in, not this hulking monster._

_"Good evening, my name is Eric Hernandez and I am your host tonight," Hernandez said, his voice dripping sarcasm. _

_"How nice of you, you know with me all tied up and that." Retorted Alex. _

_ However, Hernandez ignored the jibe and carried on. His expression was dead serious. "You will do as I say and you will refer to me as sir. Understood?" _

_Alex remained silent. If provoking the man didn't work, then he just had to ignore him. Hernandez however wasn't pleased. He approached Alex, each footstep echoing loudly in the empty room. When he was just a hand's breadth away, he acted. Driving his fist into the blonde's exposed abdomen. _

_All breath was knocked out of Alex's lungs and he couldn't even double over to protect his throbbing stomach. "Understood?" Hernandez repeated menacingly. This time he grabbed the boy's blonde locks, enjoying the startled cry that he let out._

_Alex couldn't concentrate; every pain signal in his head was on fire, continuously bombarding his brain and compelling him to say or do anything to make it stop. "Yes!" Alex exclaimed through gritted teeth._

_Apparently that wasn't enough because the man just shook his head harder. "Yes what?" he hissed into Alex's ear, invading his private space without a second thought._

_By this time Alex could take it no longer and any sense of pride that had prevented him from adding the three lettered, monosyllabic word before seemed to vanish. "Yes, sir." _

_The man released him, and Alex felt relief flood through his battered body. However it wasn't over yet, Hernandez was advancing towards him with a sick smile on his face and his leering gaze trained on him. Alex's breath hitched and he tried to back away from the man, but it was useless. He wasn't going anywhere._

_Hernandez's face was only inches away from his and their chests were almost touching. The man looked into Alex's chocolate brown eyes as he slowly and deliberately started taking off his shirt. He watched as realization flashed in the boy's eye and sneered as his struggling became even more frantic. Oh how he loved it when they struggled, it just made breaking them more fun to watch._

_Hernandez lowered his head slightly, his mouth near Alex's ear, his hot breath ghosting over the boy's earlobe. "You will not resist, every time you do, you'll suffer the consequences." He whispered as he withdrew a relatively large flick knife from his pocket and proceeded to drag its blade slowly across Alex's upper left arm in demonstration. _

_Alex fought the scream that was bursting to get out. He gritted his teeth and slipped on his mask of indifference. However, despite his tremendous efforts, Hernandez wasn't fazed by his display of defiance and just dug deeper into Alex's skin until blood gushed out and a tortured scream escaped from his lips. _

_The blade was removed. Alex barely had time to gulp in some air before Heranandez's intruding body pushed against his. Seconds later, the man's lips were forcefully pressed against the junction between his neck and shoulder, roughly licking and biting at the skin underneath. His hands slid down Alex's bare back, massaging it roughly until finally resting at the base of his spine, just above the hem of his jeans. _

_They stayed like that for two minutes before Alex gathered enough strength to wrench his body away from the man with what little yield he had on the chains. He would not allow himself to be easy prey for the monster in front of him. He wasn't some toy that the man could use to vent his perverted sexual needs on. And he certainly wasn't going down without a fight._

_When Alex looked up again at Hernandez's eyes, he found that they were ablaze with intense fury. "You want to play hard to get, fine. But I will still _take_ you." His voice although low in volume, was menacing and cold. _

_Alex couldn't help the shiver that racked his body at hearing those words. He watched helplessly as the man moved to adjust the chains binding him in such a way that he no longer had any slack to move his body. There was no escape this time._

_Hernandez's body was suddenly uncomfortably close to him again, exactly where it had been not long ago. Pushed against the blonde with his head hovering above the mark he had left on the base of the boy's neck. He bit down._

_This time it was definitely harsher than before. Alex couldn't help the groans of pain that he let out as Hernandez bit into his skin time and time again. He couldn't resist as the man's hand started fondling his chest, with enough strength to leave bruises and pinching his nipples. Startling cries and moans out of the blonde teenager that echoed around the room. Alex felt the man's cock against his leg and he noted with growing disgust and fear that the man was hard and that soon he would try to- _No don't think about it! Just don't! _He frantically told himself. He had no doubt in his mind that he would go mad if he dwelled on it._

_Sure enough, what seemed like hours later but in fact were mere minutes, the hands had explored every inch of Alex's torso. Leaving long red gouges and black bruises in their wake. They moved lower until they were hovering just above the fly of his jeans._

_ Alex visibly froze._

_Hernandez kept eye contact and placed a malicious smile on his face as his hand started to unbutton the jeans… and stopped. _

_Hernandez was looking directly behind him and over his shoulder, as if he was no longer there. "Enjoy the show Mr. Kurst?" He enquired._

_Alex's mind reeled. How long was Kurst standing there? How was it possible that his sharpened senses didn't hear him this whole time? Did he order Hernandez to stop where he did? Numerous questions like this buzzed around his head but with no answers to satisfy them._

_"Yes, you did well Eric." Kurst's deadpanned voice came from behind. "It was quite amusing watching our guest suffer through your _careful ministrations._"_

_"You're a fucking pervert Kurst!" Alex snapped and was about to add something equally vulgar when Hernandez punched him. This time on the face. _

_"You will respect your betters, whore." Hernandez threatened. _

_"I'd rather die first." Alex shot back, but that just earned him a ruler straight cut across his abdomen. Alex screamed in agony as his nerves were set on fire, sending erratic signals of pure agony throughout his battered body._

_"It looks like he still has some fight left in him. Hernandez you may proceed." Kurst said._

_The last four words struck Alex like a sledgehammer and nearly sent him over the edge. "P-Please don't." Alex begged._

_Hernandez guffawed, his hands quickly working on stripping the boy with renewed frenzy…_

Tears coursed down Alex's cheeks as her remembered what had happened next. Hernandez had 'kissed' himmany times after that. He had thrust his cock into Alex without any preparation, drawing out tortured screams of pain from him. Kurst had stood in front of him. His eyes glinting in joy and satisfaction as Hernandez's hands groped his body and he continued to thrust into him relentlessly, listening as he had begged for it to stop.

He didn't remember what had happened next. He had fortunately passed out from the physical and emotional strain. When he came around again, he was in his cell. Handcuffed but thankfully fully clothed. It had taken him two whole weeks of nightmares and hallucinations to finally gather enough strength to break out. He had accumulated many injuries during them, but they were nothing compared to what that man did to him. He was just grateful that no one had touched him with sexual intent afterwards, but then again Kurst probably didn't feel the need for that. He had behaved like an ideal prisoner, not making cheeky remarks or fighting back even when he was tortured.

Alex stood up and cleared his thoughts. He had been unconsciously scratching his neck where the man had 'kissed' him and now the area was red and blood seeped from a cut caused by his bitten fingernails. This wasn't the first time. Ever since that night, he had found himself involuntary scratching himself raw in the places where Hernandez had touched him whenever the memories came back to haunt him.

Alex forced himself away from those thoughts. He couldn't deal with them right now. He left his room and went straight to the bathroom, which was opposite to his room, his feet making no sound on the thick carpet. He didn't want to wake Ben up.

Alex stripped quickly and removed the bandages, which were still clean, so as not to get them wet and stepped into the shower. He sighed blissfully as the warm water poured down his body, cleansing him and pushing away the horrifying memories of Kurst and Hernandez. He knew that they will definitely come to haunt him later, but right now he was content with the peace and calm that flooded through him.

He stayed in the shower for thirty wonderful minutes, before he forced himself to step out from underneath the refreshing water and turn it off. He checked himself in the mirror and couldn't help but wince. _There goes my career as a model, _Alex thought humorlessly. His body was covered in scars and fainting bruises. Each one ignited a painful memory of its own in Alex's mind that he desperately tried to ignore. There were now two bullet wounds marring his once perfect body: the one on his chest mere inches away from his heart and the one just above his knee. The latter looked the worst. The skin around it was bruised and the stitches were horribly visible…

_Wait a minute. _How on earth was he standing without feeling any pain from his numerous wounds?The answer came to him almost immediately. _It must be the water in the pitcher Ben left me yesterday on the nightstand, I drank from it before I slept. He must've put some pain relievers in it._

Alex didn't know whether to be angry with the man for drugging him, or be thankful to him. He shook his head slightly as he used a towel to dry himself off and then he rewrapped his bandages and redressed himself in the clothes Ben gave him, since his old clothes are probably in the rubbish right now, and went downstairs to the kitchen. A nagging thought at the back of his mind told him that he was going to regret ever walking after the drug wears off, but he ignored it. He was starving.

Five minutes later, Alex was sitting at the table in the kitchen, having cereal for breakfast. He could've made something a lot tastier but he didn't feel up for it. _What am I going to do now? _Alex thought miserably. He couldn't go back to the house in Chelsea as MI6 had probably sold it. Even if they hadn't, Kurst probably knew its location and might search for him there. He couldn't risk staying with Ben for too long, as Kurst's goons are bound to stumble upon this place sooner or later. Maybe he should go back to MI6, _No that's not an option_. _No matter what Jones said, they will keep using me over and over again. There would always be a situation that would solely require his talents, or age._ Alex thought miserably.

After a few minutes of contemplation, Alex sighed. _Why does everything have to be so complicated? He_ thought in utter frustration as he rubbed his forehead. When he finally looked up, he saw that Ben was standing at the doorway about to enter the kitchen. Alex was annoyed that the man was able to get this far without him noticing, _well he is a spy after all_.

"What?" Alex asked, irritation evident in his tone, when Ben didn't move and stared at him with an unreadable expression.

"You should be in bed." Ben said without betraying any emotion. "When the morphine wears off you'll regret every step you took." With that he moved to the coffee machine to make some for himself.

Five minutes later, he was sitting at the table opposite to Alex with a large cup of black coffee in his hand. "Alex," He began after a few minutes of silence. "There is something that I need to tell you."

Alex paused with his spoon inches from his mouth and set it down in the bowl, suddenly he wasn't feeling so hungry. He looked up at Ben, the man's tone of voice had grabbed his attention. "Yes?" he spoke after closely examining Ben's face for a full minute.

"Mrs. Jones requests your presence at _the bank_ … for debriefing." He hesitated before mentioning the last bit, knowing full well that Alex wouldn't be keen on talking about his experience as a Scorpia captive.

"When?" Alex asked. He had already made up his mind. He was not going. He just needed to know how much time he had to do something about it.

"In a week's time." Ben replied solemnly.

"But I wasn't briefed to be debriefed. I wasn't on a mission so they have no right to 'debrief'me." Alex stood up abruptly and felt a slight signal of pain shooting up his right thigh. _So the drug is wearing off. _Thought Alex grimly.

"Alex-" Ben began but was immediately interrupted.

"No Ben! I'm not going, period!" Alex exclaimed, something close to panic evident in his tone.

Ben was stunned into silence. He was taken aback by Alex's outburst and watched as the blonde teenager stomped out of the kitchen. A few seconds later, he heard hurried pounding as Alex ran up the stairs. It was followed shortly by the sound of a door banging shut.

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**I know I'm so mean for doing this to poor Alex, problem is it's only gonna get worse for now... Unless you don't want that to happen. Tell me in a review what you think, pretty please?**

**And just one more thing, this story is no where near complete if you have any suggestions to what should happen in the next chapters or what the ending should be like, don't hesitate to PM me and I'll try to incorporate them to the story, within reason ofcourse =) **

**Wish you the best**

**RBR **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everyone! You might be asking why am I updating so soon, well guess what? Tomorrow's my eighteenth birthday and this is my gift to you lovely readers! (It's currently 10:32 on 21st of september UAE time) I can't believe how time seems to pass so quickly! Anyway, thanks to everyone who has reviewed and or put this story on their favourite/alert list hope you like this chapter and I wish I'd get a lot of reviews for this and later chapters as well (Hint! Hint!)**

**Disclaimer: I politely asked Mr. Horowitz for the rights to Alex Rider as a birthday present... he still hasn't replied yet... **

**Warnings: Very mild referance to torture but that's OK since you'r reading an M rated fanfic.**

******Hits Count: 1,158! (Completely speechless...)**

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_"Mrs. Jones requests your presence at the bank … for debriefing." Ben hesitated before mentioning the last bit, knowing full well that Alex wouldn't be keen on talking about his experience as a Scorpia captive._

_"When?" Alex asked. He had already made up his mind. He was not going. He just needed to know how much time he had to do something about it._

_"In a week's time." Ben replied solemnly._

_"But I wasn't briefed to be debriefed. I wasn't on a mission so they have no right to 'debrief'me." Alex stood up abruptly and felt a slight signal of pain shooting up his right thigh. So the drug is wearing off. Thought Alex grimly._

_"Alex-" Ben began but was immediately interrupted._

_"No Ben! I'm not going, period!" Alex exclaimed, something close to panic evident in his tone._

_Ben was stunned into silence. He was taken aback by Alex's outburst and watched as the blonde teenager stomped out of the kitchen. A few seconds later, he heard hurried pounding as Alex ran up the stairs. It was followed shortly by the sound of a door banging shut._

Alex flung himself on the bed, his vision blurring as tears began to form in his eyes. Why was he never in control? Why couldn't he have a say in what happened to him? Why was he so freaking helpless?

Questions whirled around Alex's mind over and over again demanding answers, but receiving none. He buried his face in his pillow as he recalled a time when he was truly happy. A time when Ian and Jack were still alive and he had a normal life to some degree. He'd had a future then, going to college and pursuing whatever career he wanted. All of that was shattered the moment Blunt spoke to him for the first time at his uncle's funeral. Memory by memory, Alex slowly lost consciousness until he descended into fitful sleep…

Alex woke up with a start. He was drenched in cold sweat and his eyes were wide open in fear. He slowly relaxed as he realized where he was and remembered that he was safe, for now.

All he could recall from the nightmare he had just woken from were, Knifes in all shapes and sizes lined neatly on a large table…

He was restrained and couldn't move…

Sharp pain drowning out any thoughts or feelings and finally Kurst's grinning face as he cut him again and again and again...

Alex shuddered, tears threatening to fall. It was yet another painful memory, haunting him in his sleep when he couldn't block it. He shook his head slightly, as if trying to dislodge the nightmare from his mind, and tried to sit up.

He couldn't. As soon as he strained his muscles, pain flared all over his body. Most noticeable were his left arm, which burned intensely, and his right thigh which he couldn't move at all with it throbbing in pure agony like it was now. Never had he felt so helpless, so pathetic. No wait, scratch that. He had experienced worse when Julius had killed, no murdered, Jack.

Alex looked up to the window and found that no light was seeping through the white curtain which meant that it was definitely past eight o'clock. _What should I do now? _Alex wondered as he lay as still as possible in fear of aggravating his wounds if he moved.

He didn't want to call Ben. He was already getting attached, and Ben helping him and tending to him would only make it harder for him when he had to leave. Yes… he must leave. He couldn't be responsible for any more deaths. But he had to at least be able to walk in order to do that. So he had no choice but let Ben help him down the road to recovery.

Alex sighed heavily, cursing his weakness, before calling out the MI6 agent's name loudly. Mere seconds later the door opened and Ben walked in, turning on the lights. His expression was blank.

"Is everything alright?" Ben Daniels asked uncertainly. Now that Alex looked closer, he could make out signs of Ben's nervousness and worry. It was evident in the way he avoided direct eye contact for more than a few seconds or how he would clench and unclench his right hand occasionally. All of these signs would've gone by unnoticed to any ordinary person, but Alex wasn't a normal teenager. His Uncle had taught him how to read other people's body language at a tender age and he had tested him whenever he had the chance to make sure that his nephew wouldn't forget, and Alex never did.

However, Alex refrained from commenting on Ben's apparent anxiousness though. "I can't move my right leg." Alex said simply instead.

Ben was next to him in an instant. He helped Alex lie comfortably on his back with minimal pain. He then began to lift up the leg of Alex's sweatpants until the bandage on his lower thigh was visible. The bandage wasn't white anymore. There was a sizeable blotch of red, where the bullet wound was supposed to be.

Alex watched in silence as Ben removed the bandage gently, exposing the now sickly green skin underneath. He examined the wound and the bruised skin surrounding it, occasionally tracing some of the stitches to make sure that they were intact.

"You must've strained the stitches which caused blood to seep out." Ben guessed, and then looked at Alex directly in the eye. "Did you try to walk again?" he asked suspiciously.

Alex avoided his gaze. "No" he replied. He knew why the stitches were strained and it had nothing to do with walking, He must've thrashed a lot in his sleep.

Ben however didn't look convinced. That was until he examined the boy closely with his experienced eyes, he detected the sheen of sweat coating Alex's face and the faster-than-normal breathing rate. But what really gave it away, was the lingering fear in the boy's darker-than-usual eyes. Alex had had another nightmare, and he hadn't noticed it earlier.

His chest tightened in sympathy and guilt at the realization and it must have shown on his face, because Alex's expression had changed dramatically from pain and shame to anger and irritation.

"Don't you dare pity me, Ben." Alex snarled. He didn't like the look Ben had given him. It was the same look that his teachers and fellow students had given him when he returned to school after a mission, like he was some sick puppy or something equally pathetic and needy.

Ben however, didn't look offended or even flinch, "You're right, I'm sorry." He apologized sincerely. Then turned to the door, "I'll be right back, don't move." The Liverpudlian said as he reached the threshold giving Alex a small smile over his shoulder. He left.

Alex grinned a little at the man's choice of words, memories of his nightmare momentarily forgotten. He occupied himself by staring at the ceiling and trying to avoid thinking about his current predicament.

A few minutes later, Ben returned carrying a roll of gauze and what Alex recognized to be metal crutches. Ben set the crutches aside on the floor and proceeded to clean the bullet wound before covering it in the gauze.

An awkward silence descended upon them as Ben worked meticulously on Alex's leg, making sure that his other scars weren't strained as well. It's not like Alex had nothing to talk about, he just didn't know what type of conversation he should bring up. After a few milliseconds of pondering he spoke.

"I'm sorry for storming off like I did a while ago. You were just carrying out your orders." Alex said. He meant it, but he had just wanted to break the uncomfortable silence.

Ben looked up from his work, eyes widened in surprise. "No need to apologize, it's alright."

They drifted into another bout of silence, Alex gave up on trying to converse with Ben, that lasted until the Liverpudlian finished. Nothing could be heard save the rustling of fabric and the steady soft breathing of the room's two occupants.

"Here," Ben was the first to break their spell. He handed Alex the crutches and helped the boy sit on the edge of the bed comfortably. "I've found these, while cleaning out the attic a few days ago, must've belonged to the previous owners. Anyway, I don't think they would mind you using it until you are finally able to walk."

Alex noted that they were both black, the type that had a brace above the handle, where the back of a person's forearm rested. They couldn't have been more convenient, the crutches would minimize the strain on his left upper arm, where the large gash was, as well as aid his movement.

Ben helped Alex to his feet, steadying him as he swayed while trying to find some sense of balance with the aid of the crutches. In the next fifteen minutes Ben watched Alex as he moved around the house, giving him a tip now and then but otherwise leaving Alex to figure things out on his own. After all he didn't want to be too intrusive or make Alex feel uncomfortable. And even though Ben didn't know it, Alex was silently thankful for his decision.

They now were in the kitchen, and Alex found himself inexplicably examining it more closely than he had this morning. It had a surprisingly contemporary feel to it despite the house's general classic design, with stainless steel appliances and glass-faced cabinets. A small kitchen table, with two chairs tucked into it, was placed against one of the light blue painted walls.

Ben helped Alex sit down on one of the chairs and rested his crutches against the wall, easily within the boy's reach. He then proceeded to make dinner, since Alex had barely had anything to eat since morning.

Fifteen minutes later Ben sat opposite Alex and they ate the macaroni and cheese that he had just prepared. "What would you like to do tomorrow?" Ben asked suddenly after taking a sip of water from the glass cup in front of him.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Well, I have to head out to town to buy some supplies for the house and I thought we could do something afterwards if you like." Ben suggested hopefully. He wanted so badly to get Alex out of the house and for him to enjoy the fresh air and peace of the country.

Alex was silently grateful for Ben's suggestion; he would've died out of depression if he had to endure one more day with only his horrid thoughts to entertain him.

"Okay, but what is there to do?" Alex asked.

Ben could barely hide his relief. Alex was actually participating positively in their conversation. "I know this ice cream parlor that we could go to. I've been to it many times and I can't say that they weren't always worthwhile."

"Ice cream it is then." Alex decided, finally feeling some semblance of normalcy. Thoughts of Kurst and Hernandez were briefly forgotten.

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**Things seem to be looking up for Alex, or are they? (Laughs madly) **

**How bad can a simple trip to an ice-cream parlor turn out. Keep reading, to find out.**

**So please review dear readers and make me happy on my birthday!**

**Love, RBR**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi everyone! This new chapter is dedicated to the people who've reviewed and wished me happy birthday. Thank you so much! **

**I have to admit though I'm a bit nervous about this chapter, it didn't turn out how I wanted it to and I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. So please review!**

**Disclaimer: I will never give up, you hear me Mr. Horowitz!**

**Hits count: 1585! **

**Warnings: Mention of physical and psychological torture.**

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Alex awoke with a start. It was seven-thirty and yet another nightmare had plagued his dreams, fortunately it hadn't been too intense and Alex didn't cry out or thrash during it. He was hoping that this was a good sign that his nightmares might actually stop taunting him eventually. However a small treacherous voice in his head told him that this was just a coincidence and that he would be having even more dreadful ones than he could imagine soon enough.

Alex sat up, albeit hesitantly, and reached for his crutches. They were lying against the night stand, where he had left them last night. Using them, he walked to the wardrobe and opened it, surprised to find neatly folded articles of clothing inside.

_Maybe some more stuff Ben found in the attic?_ Alex guessed. He was pretty sure that Ben hadn't left the house since he arrived.

Not over thinking about the whole matter, Alex took out a plain black long-sleeved t-shirt and navy jeans that seemed to be his size. He laid them on the bed and sat next to them to get dressed as he couldn't hold himself up with the crutches and dress himself while standing in this condition.

After he was done he went to the bathroom and cleaned up a bit. He was relieved to note that most of his bandages were covered by his clothes. The only one showing was the one wrapped around his neck where he had cut himself three nights ago. After checking himself in the mirror, Alex went downstairs for some breakfast. Strangely, he found Ben was already having his in the kitchen.

"You're up early." Alex commented.

"So are you, is something wrong?" Ben asked, searching the boy's face for any discomfort or pain.

"No, just couldn't sleep." He wasn't lying, just conveniently leaving out some details.

However, Ben nodded in understanding. He rose and pulled the kitchen chair back for Alex, as the boy's hands were currently occupied with the crutches. He then moved to the stove and started preparing some scrambled eggs for Alex.

Alex flushed, embarrassed at the gesture and muttered a quiet "Thank you" to the man and sat down albeit awkwardly. He received a genuine smile in response.

"So, when are we leaving?" Alex asked as he shoved a piece of toast into his mouth ten minutes later.

"After you're done choking yourself on your own food." Ben replied dryly. He watched as Alex emptied his glass of orange juice in one long gulp in something akin to relief. He had been worried about the boy's lack of appetite for food, especially after he found him half-starved and dehydrated two nights ago. This was actually the first time that Alex had eaten without Ben forcing him to finish his plate or stalking away.

"Ha ha, very funny Ben." Was Alex's sarcastic remark. His expression turned serious so quickly that it was hard to imagine that he had just been poking fun with Ben. "When do you reckon I would be able to walk without these?" He said while gesturing to the crutches leaning against his chair.

"Honestly, I don't know. We'll have to wait for the bruising to go down around your bullet wound so that I could make an accurate guess. Until then I can't assess the damage to your tissues accurately. However, my best estimate right now would be a couple of months, at least."

Alex gave a dejected nod. _I wonder if I even have half that time before Kurst finds me. It's not like I'm in the best condition to fight back if he or his goons show up._

"Ben?" The word came out of Alex's mouth without prior thought. But it was too late for him to back down because Ben was now looking at him and giving him his full attention. "Am I safe here?"

Ben looked momentarily shocked by the anxiety behind the simple yet complex question. He quickly slipped on a reassuring expression and chose his words carefully before replying. "Yes, one of the reasons why I bought this house is because of its remote location. It is true that there is a road outside, but it's rarely used after a more convenient highway was constructed some miles from here. Additionally, this house is well stocked with the latest weapons and security systems." The Liverpudlian reached across the table and placed his hand on Alex's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "However, I want you to know that no matter what happens, I _will _keep you safe and protect you. I promise."

Alex was speechless with gratitude. He didn't know what he could say to that. Ben hadn't known him for a long time, yet he had treated him like family, offering him care and kindness unconditionally and with no strings attached. He'd done it simply out of the goodness of his heart.

Alex was ready to finally open up completely to the black-haired man, to bring down all the barriers that had prevented him from taking that one step further. A step that would allow him to cross from treating Ben as a colleague and friend, to treating him more like an older brother.

Suddenly, he was possessed by an image so strong that his resolve wavered. He saw the car, which Jack was driving out of Razim's fort in the Egyptian desert, on a screen. And he heard himself pleading, to a smirking Julius, to spare Jack's life. He watched the finger hovering over the detonator, being lowered until there was no space in between.

The button was pressed. Jack ceased to exist.

He couldn't do anything but watch the car being consumed by flames so intense that they must've vaporized the kind woman's body in seconds. After all, the report had stated that all that was left of her were charred meat and bones.

Alex nodded dejectedly, acknowledging Ben's pledge but not going as far as showing any emotion. He didn't want to get hurt again…

* * *

Greenwood Crossing was literally built around a crossroad. Some businessman, back in the fifties, had apparently thought that it would be a good idea to build a petrol station on a remote crossroad so that the occasional commuter to London and surrounding areas would not have to travel the thirty long kilometers to the nearest town to refill their tank and service their car. Two years later Sainsbury's opened a branch a few meters away, on the road perpendicular to that of the petrol station and business prospered. More and more people moved into the area and settled permanently. Shops owned by sole traders were constructed briefly after that, providing the basic needs for the residents of Greenwood Crossing.

A small public school was set up, and then a park until the place became a secluded self-supporting community to the south of London. The result of this chain of events is what Alex was looking at now.

Ben had parked the car, a black Range Rover, about a kilometer back near the empty small park and now he and Alex were strolling up the sidewalk leading to Sainsbury's, or more accurately Ben was strolling and Alex was managing not to fall on his face with the help of his crutches.

It was a beautiful day, as cheesy as that might sound, but it was. The sun was out and not obstructed by the seemingly omnipresent clouds that covered the UK's skies almost all year-long. Its warmth soothed Alex and calmed his nerves to the point where he actually forgot that he was on the run from Kurst and started to enjoy himself. This was his first time out in such a great weather in a long time and he valued every minute of it.

The Liverpudlian next to him also seemed equally relaxed and apparently content with remaining silent, but that was okay with Alex as he already had to endure the same thing on their journey here. Frankly, the teen spy was grateful that Ben wasn't harassing him with questions and was giving him some space, even though he must have had a multitude of them just bursting to be asked.

They were slowly approaching the crossroad that the town was named after, yet they still had to encounter any pedestrians. The residents seemed perfectly content to remain indoors even on such a pleasant day, then again it _was_ twelve o'clock on a Monday and everyone was probably at work. Alex didn't mind this however, he was just glad that he could enjoy the comfortable relative silence around them.

A sweet scent suddenly wafted their way and Alex paused, searching with his eyes and nose for the source. It was coming from the florist's shop just ahead. He swung his crutches faster and was soon standing in front of the glass window of the shop and looking inside.

Flowers arranged in bouquets lined the walls while others were growing in colorful pots on shelves placed strategically around the room. Alex couldn't help but feel drawn to them, and he unconsciously found himself stepping closer to a wooden shelf just next to the florist's door. It held three large pots, growing in them were a type of yellow flowers that he didn't recognize, not that he was an expert or anything. Hell, he didn't even know why he was even staring so intently at a bunch of flowers. He was never interested in such things, unless he was buying a girlfriend a bouquet and even then he'd pick any one that looked decent. He had never even bothered to find out what type of flowers he was buying, if they looked and smelled nice, they were good enough for him. So why was he suddenly interested?

"Chrysanthemums." A feminine voice came from behind Alex.

He whirled around quickly, nearly losing his balance in the process. His heartbeat accelerated and adrenalin rushed around his body as he prepared to make use of his fight or flight response. But there was no need.

In front of him stood a young brunette woman, wearing a short-sleeved white shirt and navy blue skinny jeans with a green apron on top. A radiant smile appeared on her face when Alex turned to face her that made her look even younger.

"I'm sorry, what?" Alex asked.

The woman just laughed at the confused expression on the teen's face. "The flowers, that you were just gawking at, are called Chrysanthemums. They are a symbol for optimism and hope." She spoke fondly as if each single one of the flowers around her was a special friend and held a place in her heart. Which Alex guessed, wasn't far from the truth.

"So what's your name honey?" she added gently, her eyes momentarily drifting to the bandage around his neck and the crutches but looking straight up after that without commenting.

Alex didn't know how to reply to that. Of course he knew what his name was but after a complete year of undertaking missions, he had developed a sense of paranoia when questioned about personal information from strangers. He was even about to give the woman a fake name, when he was rescued by Ben.

The Liverpudlian had watched everything from a little distance away, curious at the new side of Alex that he was witnessing. So he had spotted the lost look on the teenager's face at the innocent question and decided to help.

"So I see that you've met Olivia, Alex." He said, as he walked to stand beside his charge.

"Oh, so this handsome boy is with you Ben." Olivia commented as she smiled and nodded in greeting.

"Yeah, he's my nephew. He came to visit me a few days ago and I decided to show him around town." Ben lied smoothly.

"Pleased to meet you Alex, I'm Olivia Williams and this beautiful shop is mine. Would you like to purchase anything?"

"Um…No, thank you. I was just looking." Alex replied with a smile. He was surprised by how easy it was. If he had tried to do that an hour ago he was pretty sure that he would've failed. However, the aura of kindness that Olivia was emitting made him feel strangely happy and comfortable enough to smile genuinely.

She nodded her head in understanding before turning her intelligent hazel eyes to Ben. "Would you guys like to come inside and have a cup of green tea with me? The kettle is already on the stove."

"I'm sorry, maybe next time? We're kind of in a hurry." Ben replied.

"Sure. I'll see you later then?"

"Of course." With that Ben walked away, waving slightly at the brunette shop keeper.

He turned to Alex who was again dazedly gazing at the flowers. "Hello! Earth to Alex!" he said as he waved his hand in front of the teen's face.

Alex snapped out of his trance and shook his head as if trying to dislodge the thoughts that were occupying his mind. "What?" he asked in sheer annoyance.

"You spaced out." Ben said simply, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Oh right, I was just thinking." Alex said nonchalantly.

"About what?"

"Stuff."

"_Alex._" Said Ben sternly.

"Okay fine." Alex gave in. Just a few minutes ago he had been thinking about how quite Ben was and how he gave him space. He liked that Ben much better. "I was thinking about the Chrysanthemums and the irony of how I'm missing the two things that these flowers are a symbol for. If buying one would fill the void in my emotions, then I'd buy a whole field of them to satisfy me because you have no idea how bleak my future is looking right now and I could certainly use some hope and optimism to help me get through it." Alex remained silent after his little speech and stared at the ground, refusing to meet the Liverpudlian's piercing blue eyes.

"It seems that I've said too much, maybe we should-" Alex's voice broke at the end and he froze. His eyes widened and were staring straight ahead, but they weren't focused on anything in particular, like he was in some sort of trance. He stayed like that for exactly five seconds, before clutching his crutches with bone-white knuckles and dashing to a nearby alley.

Ben gaped at the space that Alex had occupied milliseconds ago in shock. _What the hell just happened?! _He asked himself as he set out after the teen, his eyes and ears working overtime to detect any threats that Alex might have sensed. _Maybe that's why he ran away? Had he recognized any one from his days as a prisoner? _Ben tried to reason with his mind, but nothing could explain the reason behind the look of pure panic that Alex's face had adopted before he bolted.

His trained eyes registered no threat, but there was no one on the sidewalk to begin with, Olivia had disappeared back into her shop. His ears however, detected the faint sound of classical music playing, probably from the music shop a few meters up the street. _The owner is a huge fan of Mozart and Beethoven,_ Ben reasoned. Other than that, the area was eerily quite.

He stood at the entrance to the alley squinting in the sudden darkness. He could dimly make out a few trash cans to one side. A black cat sat next to them, eyeing him suspiciously with its luminous green eyes. Ben took a deep breath and walked in.

He could've never prepared himself for the sight that confronted him. Alex sat on the damp floor with his back pressed firmly against the rough wall, as if he was trying to disappear through it. His crutches lay haphazardly next to him away from his reach, giving the impression that Alex had discarded them without much care. However what Ben found gut-wrenching, was the look of sheer terror on the teen's face. His hands were clutching his fair hair and pulling at it harshly, but Alex didn't seem to notice or care about the pain. He kept muttering mindlessly "Symphony Number 5 in C minor, by Beethoven" over and over again like a mantra as he stared emptily at the opposite wall...

_Alex sat in a metallic chair, his wrists secured firmly to the armrests with steel shackles that somewhat restricted the blood flow to his hands. His head hung limply, his dull brown eyes downcast and awaiting the inevitable. He had sunk into this lifeless condition after his meeting with Hernandez and it seemed that it was only getting worse with each passing day._

_He knew that he should look up and check the room for means of escape, but after many a session with Kurst he couldn't bring himself to. He had learned the hard way that it would be of no use and would cause him even more suffering, maybe even another encounter with Hernandez. He shuddered involuntary at the mere thought of the man that had become the central object of his waking nightmares. _

No, don't think about it! As long as you behave, Kurst wouldn't need to use him again. Right? _Alex's mind tried to reassure him. It was strange in a way. A month ago he would've jumped off a building in horror for even trying to think that way, yet now it seemed simply like a logical way of thinking. Don't try to escape or fight back and you won't have to suffer, much. _

_The door opened with a soft creak that seemed deafening in the silent room. Alex went rigid. He didn't look up. Instead, he occupied himself with concentrating on his breathing. _

_In… Out... In... Out…_

_A hand was suddenly under his chin lifting it up so that he was forced to look at his tormentor's face. Of course it was as expected, Zeljan Kurst._

_In..Out..In..Out.._

_His eyes gleamed sadistically and he smirked mockingly as the teen tried to put on his mask of indifference, but it was futile. He could see right through him, could sense the fear that Alex tried so hard to quench. Even after being in similar situations over the period of his capture, he still felt it, an urge to run and hide, deep within. _

_ . ._

_"I have something special planned for today's session, would you like to know what it is?" Zeljan asked, his hand still clutching the spy's chin._

_There was no reply._

_InOutInOut._

_It seemed that Kurst wasn't expecting any and he released Alex's chin and walked to the corner closest to the door where a table was set. On it was an iPod connected to relatively medium-sized speakers. He approached it, turned it on and touched the screen a few times. After he was done, classical music blared out of the speakers. It was fast paced and angry. Alex didn't know who the composer was, he honestly didn't care then, but it sounded familiar and he knew that he must have heard it before._

_"This is Symphony Number 5 in C minor_ _by Ludwig Beethoven, memorize its name. It is one of his most famous symphonies in fact, I'm sure you've heard it before."Kurst commented as he returned to stand directly in front of Alex, maintaining eye contact all the while. "And since today marks the end of your second week here, I wanted to try something new with you."_

_Alex couldn't help the shiver that racked his body at hearing those words. Zeljan noticed and his grin became wider. It didn't suit him. _

_"I've done this before, a long time ago, when I was interrogating criminals back in Yugoslavia…" He paused briefly in reminiscence. "They couldn't listen to whatever piece I had played during questioning ever again without having a mental breakdown and I'm curious to see how you'll react afterwards."_

_"You're insane!" Alex exclaimed half heartedly. He knew there was nothing that he could do to stop Kurst. However, he needed to convince himself that he still had some defiance in him, that he wasn't completely lost, even if it appeared that way._

_Zeljan guffawed at Alex's pathetic attempt at rebellion. He withdrew a flick knife from the back pocket of his expensive jeans. He eyed it appreciatively before pressing a small button on the hilt. The blade appeared instantaneously and Alex couldn't draw his eyes away from the sharp serrated edge that gleamed maliciously under the dim light from the naked bulb in the ceiling._

_"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Zeljan said. "The handle is gold-plated and encrusted with diamonds at the sides. The blade is twelve centimeters long and diamond edged as well so it can cut through anything with ease. It cost a small fortune, wouldn't want to let it go to waste now."_

_He approached the boy, his blade held loosely yet expertly. The sound of Symphony Number 5 in C minor by Beethoven echoing around the room…_

* * *

**Sorry to end it here. If I hadn't this chapter would've been too long 8)**

**Please review. Reviews make me happy and inspire me to write faster!**

**Next chapter: Alex has Ice-cream with Ben! (This time for sure!) and something else happens! (You'll have to read and review to find out XD)**

**Love, RBR **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi everyone! I'd like to thank all of you who've reviewed and/or put this story on their favourites and/or alerts list. Thank you! Seeing these notifications on my email makes me feel so happy! **

**Before I get to the disclaimer, warnings and hits count, I'd like to comment on something that I've found to be really unusual (for me anyway!) I've gotten ****_exactly_**** 3 reviews for all chapters except two. I don't know If that was coiencidence or not but I want you to know that I won't get mad if I get more than 3 reviews per chapter LOL! **

**So how about this, from now on any review I reply to, and I reply to all my reviews as the people who actually review know, will contain a teaser for the next chapter, either a paragraph from that chapter or a few words that will give you a vague idea on what to expect next.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Alex Rider I wouldn't be writing this now would I?**

**Hits count: 1,972 (WOW! so close to 2,000!)**

**Warnings: Mentions and after-effects of torture.**

**Oh and just one more tiny thing (Don't kill me plaese!). Happy Birthday Aniki-xvi! I know it's a bit early but here you go!**

**Now onto real business, finally =P **

* * *

_"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Zeljan said. "The handle is gold plated and encrusted with diamonds at the sides. The blade is twelve centimeters long and diamond edged as well so it can cut through anything with ease. It cost a small fortune, wouldn't want to let it go to waste now."_

_He approached the boy, his blade held loosely yet expertly. The sound of Symphony Number 5 in C minor by Beethoven echoing around the room…_

A hand lay on his shoulder. It was shaking him gently. A man was kneeling next to him, calling his name with an anxious urgency. Why wouldn't he leave him alone?

"Alex! Alex answer me, please." The distant voice pleaded.

"Get away from me!" Alex responded harshly, shrugging the hand off of his shoulder.

Shocked silence followed.

"Alex?" Ben asked softly after he recovered. "Are you alright?" He cursed himself at how stupid his question was.

_Of course he isn't you idiot. What kind of question is that? _He scolded himself while mentally slapping himself.

Ben tried to close the distance between himself and the teen, being slow and careful not to alarm the boy, but as soon as he was too close for Alex, the teen exclaimed, "Leave me alone!"

"I'm not leaving you, you hear me?" Ben stated impatiently, unintentionally raising his voice.

Alex cringed. He turned his head slowly, facing Ben for the first time since he descended to this state. Fresh tears were flowing from his eyes. When he spoke, he was hesitant and _scared?_ Thought Ben.

"I'm sorry, p-please don't hurt me, _sir_." Alex looked pleadingly at Ben.

To say the Loverpudlian was shocked would be the understatement of the century, he was mortified by the mere thought that Alex was afraid that he would even think of inflicting any harm on him. However, when he looked closely into the blonde's eyes, he saw that they were dull, lifeless and empty. It was like he didn't even recognize that the person crouched next to him was his previous mission partner and new friend.

Ben acted on pure instinct, he wrapped his arms protectively around the teen and pulled him gently against his firm chest and whispering comforting words to him. Alex struggled against his hold but it was futile considering the way Ben 'hugged' him, so he alternated between calling Ben profanities and begging him to let go.

They remained locked in that position for ten minutes, the world around them forgotten for now. Alex's struggling became significantly less violent and he found himself, after a while, unconsciously clinging on to Ben for his sanity. It seemed so unfair to him that just when things started to look up and he had finally started to relax, Kurst had to come and ruin it even though he wasn't physically there.

_Why am I so damn fucked up?! _Alex thought to himself exasperatedly. He had seen the shocked expression on Ben's face and had seen the hurt in his eyes when he had shrugged him off. It didn't make him feel any better that he had broken down and acted like a fucking baby, as he put it, when the Liverpudlian raised his voice just above normal level.

Truth be told, up until a few seconds ago he wasn't even aware that Ben Daniels was in the alley with him. He had been too busy being tormented by his own version of hell to realize that.

"I'm sorry…" Alex muttered ashamedly, breaking the heavy silence that had descended upon them. He unlatched himself from Ben and wrapped his arms protectively around himself.

"Don't apologize, you did nothing wrong." Ben spoke softly as he rubbed Alex's back comfortingly.

"No, I-I snapped at you when you were only trying to help. I just… I just can't get _him_ out of my head and it's driving me crazy!" Alex exclaimed vehemently.

Ben was quite surprised by Alex's declaration. He had decided a while ago that he wouldn't breach the topic of Alex's captivity with the teen just yet, because he concluded that it would be too uncomfortable for Alex to recount so soon after his escape. As well as the fact that he would be informed of every detail after the debriefing that will take place at the Bank in a few days. However, this mention of a specific person, in addition to the fact that Alex had called him 'sir' a few minutes ago, made him suddenly curious.

"Who are you talking about, Alex?" Ben questioned.

Alex blanched but replied nonetheless, "Kurst…" He intentionally left out Hernandez, he didn't even want to think about the man, let alone say his name.

Now it was Ben's turn to pale, "That can't be possible, Alex. Zeljan Kurst is in prison." His eyes wandered to Alex's face to see shock plainly etched in his features and decided to explain. "Remember what Scorpia's last mission was?"

Alex nodded. His mind helpfully, or rather unhelpfully, provided him with memories of his last mission. Needless to say, it wasn't pleasant and Alex had to use every inch of self control so that he wouldn't breakdown again then and there. "Yeah, they were trying to get the British government to return the Elgin marbles back to Greece, by Blackmail through me."

"That's right, Kusrt was arrested shortly afterwards by INTERPOL and was put in ADX Florence max security prison. In fact, he is currently in death row awaiting his execution by lethal injection."

"Then he must've escaped!" Alex exclaimed. Then after he saw doubt flicker in Ben's eyes he added, "Look Ben, I think that I would _know_ who was torturing me for the past month!"

"Calm down, I believe you. It's just that I would've been informed of his escape if he did. After all he's a dangerous wanted criminal…"

Alex pondered this over. _Is it possible? _He asked mentally. He had overheard Kurst once speak to one of his underlings about something similar…

_He was back in his cell again. Battered, bloody and in so much agony. His wrists chained to the cold stone wall behind him. The door had just closed and was locked with a resounding thud. _

_It was rare that Kurst would ever escort him back to his cell once the session is over. He usually left that job to one of the guards. However, today Kurst had had the marvelous idea of taunting Alex all the way back from the 'torture room'. _

_Alex vaguely remembered Kurst insulting him, telling him how worthless he was and how no one would ever save him so he might as well surrender to him. Somehow those words cut deeper than any wound Kurst had ever inflicted. Alex had fought all the way back not to let the words affect him. He tried to hang on to hope, but there was none. Anyone he would've put his faith in to come and rescue him was dead. All he had was MI6 and the thought made him more depressed than hopeful because, as far as he was concerned, they had always let him down._

_Sounds filtered through the haze of pain that clouded his mind. He couldn't make sense of them to begin with, but he found himself listening more attentively. Slowly, the sounds gained meaning._

_"…Are you sure that he won't talk?"Kurst's all too familiar voice came from behind the locked door._

_"Positive, sir. He underwent the surgery and was threatened appropriately so he wouldn't break under any circumstances." Another voice, the owner of which, Alex did not recognize._

_"Good."_

Alex had paid no heed to the memory after that, until now. Suddenly everything clicked and he found himself grabbing Ben's arm to get his full attention. "The man in prison is not Kurst. He's a double who was forced to undergo a plastic surgery so that he would look him. They must've blackmailed him."

"That would make sense…" Ben muttered as he pulled out his mobile phone from his black jeans' pocket. He hastily dialed a number and stuck the phone to his ear. A few seconds later the call was connected. "Agent Daniels's speaking, please connect me to Mrs. Jones… What? When? ... fine. When will she be back?... Alright, thank you Agent O'Neil."

Ben cut the connection and turned to Alex who was watching him expectantly the whole time.

"She's not in her office, apparently she's attending some meeting in Birmingham." He replied to Alex's questioning look.

"Why not call her directly? Don't you have her mobile phone number?" Alex asked.

"No, her phone was specially modified by Smithers. Her number cannot be saved, even temporarily on any other mobile phone. It's less risky that way for her and the organization."

"So you'll just have to call her later then?"

"Yeah." Ben replied as he moved to retrieve the boy's crutches.

"Thanks" Alex said when Ben handed the black crutches to him. He even shocked himself when he found himself giving the older man a small smile.

Ben helped Alex stand without straining his bullet wound, his eyes briefly examining the teen for any signs of discomfort. When he found none, he ushered Alex out of the murky dimness of the alley and into the bright afternoon sun.

Ben absently noted that, although it felt like they'd spent ages in the alleyway, nothing seemed to have changed outside. The street was still devoid of people and the sun was still brightly shining in the sky. However, he did notice that the music he had heard before had stopped playing.

As they walked up the street in silence he found himself thinking about what had happened. However, he couldn't figure out why the teen spy had reacted the way he did, or more importantly, what triggered such a reaction in the first place. _And why the hell was he repeating that phrase over and over? _He pondered. _He obviously had some sort of flash back…_

"I don't wanna talk about it." Alex said, as if reading the Liverpudlian's thoughts. His tone of voice making it clear that the matter is not even up for negotiation.

"Huh?" Ben commented oh so intelligently. "How did you-"

"You're not that hard to read, for me anyway."

"You know you're gonna have to tell me someday."

"Yeah, someday. How about in a century?" Alex retorted dryly.

"Really funny, Alex." Ben said and somehow the conversation seemed to end at that.

* * *

"Wait for me at the ice-cream parlor. I just need to put these grocery bags back in the car so we don' t have to carry them around with us. I won't be long." Ben said motioning for Alex to go on without him.

They had just stepped out of Sainsbury's fluorescently lit interior and were now back in the natural warm light of the sun. They had shopped in relative silence, save the occasional comment from Ben about different types of food and each one's health benefits and his random comments about the town's short history. Alex had listened in silence, pleased with the company and secretly amused by the agent's lively attitude outside of the field. However, despite the older spy's effort to keep the teenager entertained and comfortable, he was getting tired even though said teen refused to voice any complaints.

Ben couldn't blame him, walking with the aid of crutches put a lot of strain on a person's arms and shoulders. That is why he had offered to walk to the car alone, after all Alex needed the rest. _It's only for a few minutes, nothing bad could happen. Right? _Ben thought as he watched the blonde 'walk' away and disappear inside the ice-cream shop right next to Sainsbury's.

* * *

Ben pushed open the door to the ice-cream parlor, hearing a soft chime as the bell on the doorframe sounded in the nearly empty shop. His eyes slowly adjusting to the dimmer interior, he scanned the different booths for the fair haired boy and found him sitting in the one at the far corner of the room. He had looked up at hearing the sound of the bell and was now smiling at Ben in greeting.

As he strode towards Alex, Ben became aware of two things. The first was that there were only three customers, other than them, in the parlor. A young couple chatting idly at the other corner of the room and a man in his early thirties who was reading a newspaper while waiting to be served. The other thing that he noticed, albeit with a feeling of unease, was that the booth Alex had chosen had a complete view of the room, most likely so that he could watch all newcomers and note any exits.

_He shouldn't have to think that way, but taking on difficult missions for a whole year with little to no breaks in between must've made him paranoid._ The older spy thought forlornly, wishing that they could've had this time together under different conditions.

He sighed softly as he approached the teen and placed a gentle smile on his face. He hoped it didn't look fake but judging by the way Alex returned it he thought he must've passed, if barely.

"Hope I didn't make you wait for long?" Ben asked as he sat down opposite to Alex.

"No not at all, you were only gone for eleven minutes and forty seven seconds." Alex replied dryly. He had been counting the seconds ever since he sat down for lack of anything else to do.

"Sorry."

"No problem, I needed the rest."

They lapsed into a companionable bout of silence, each examining the menus, which were placed in an ornate holder at the centre of the table, trying to decide what to order.

A few minutes later, a bored-looking young waiter carrying a note pad trudged towards them. "Are you ready to order, sir?" He directed his question to Ben completely ignoring Alex.

Ben saw irritation flash briefly through Alex's brown eyes before vanishing under an emotionless mask.

"What would you like to order Alex?" The Liverpudlian turned away from the waiter giving Alex all his attention.

"Well, I dunno Ben, nothing in particular seems to strike my fancy. What do you think?" Alex spoke adopting Victorian Era speech and accent, while discreetly winking at Ben. _Oh you're gonna pay for ignoring me! _Alex mentally said to the waiter.

"Oh, that is simply absurd Alex, my friend. But do take your time, I'm sure this kind young man wouldn't mind at all." Ben played along.

The waiter was now glaring at Alex and tapping his foot impatiently but Alex paid him no heed, making a show of flipping through the menu and pausing at each picture. He had already decided what he wanted to order a while ago, but just couldn't resist giving the waiter a taste of his own medicine.

Finally Alex spoke in an incredulous tone. "I can't possibly order before you do…"

The waiter barely bit back a groan, but Ben noticed, being the observant spy he is and decided to take pity on him. "I'll have a bowl of vanilla and chocolate ice-cream, low fat."

The waiter hastily wrote it down. "And you young man?" He turned grudgingly to Alex.

Alex sighed in annoyance but gave the order nonetheless, "I'll have a Rainbow Sherbet, two scoops."

The waiter nodded, and left.

Alex immediately turned to Ben. "You're no fun." He said hitting the man lightly on the arm from across the table.

"You were killing him."

"What? _'The kind young man'_ deserved it." Alex said barely managing to keep a straight face.

"Huh?!"

"You sounded like his grandmother!" Alex exclaimed with a wide grin, getting odd looks from the young couple opposite to them.

"Fine, is this what I get for supporting you, mister _'nothing strikes my fancy'_?" Ben replied sarcastically.

They looked at each other for five seconds before bursting into a fit of laughter. Now every person in the shop was giving them dirty looks for disturbing their peace. Somehow that just made them laugh even harder.

Finally, the fit subsided and they were both rubbing tears from their eyes. They were both shocked. This was the first time in a long while since any of them has displayed so much emotion, and in public.

"Ice-cream's here!" Alex said a bit over excitedly, since he could see the waiter walking towards them much more easily from where he sat. He was surprised by how quickly he had relaxed. It seemed that just being around Ben made him feel safe and protected, two things that he had lost with the death of the Pleasures.

Ben smiled genuinely at the teen's antics and shook his head in amusement. "Calm down Alex it's just ice-cream."

The waiter served their orders, shooting a venomous look at Alex before he walked away.

_What the hell is wrong with him? _Alex thought in confusion, but as soon as he had a taste of his ice-cream all thoughts dissolved as he concentrated on the delicious flavors that seemed to linger on his mouth even after he swallowed. They had never been so vibrant in his mouth.

"This is so good!" Alex exclaimed as he took another bite. He had tasted a rainbow sherbet before, it was Jack's favorite and she had insisted on many occasions that he try it and when he did, it became his usual order whenever he went to an ice-cream parlor, be it with friends or with her.

_Jack…_

"Glad you like it."

"Yeah, thank you very much for inviting me today."

The door bell chimed.

The sonorous sound echoing around the now empty parlor, the few customers who were there to begin with, seemed to have left while Alex and Ben were waiting to be served. The only person other than them present was the girl standing next to the cashier, chewing gum and texting at the same time, oblivious to the world around her.

Ben looked up to see who had entered. He saw two men wearing identical black shirts, jackets and jeans, in addition to black mirrored shades. Somehow Ben got the feeling that they weren't there to try out the new Warm Waffle Sundae. That feeling was confirmed when his gaze drifted to Alex.

Alex sat rigidly in his seat. The smile that had graced his face moments ago was gone without a trace. His eyes were glued to the newcomers with something akin to panic.

"B-Ben, It's _them."_

* * *

**So who do you think is Alex talking about? What are your predictions for the next chapter?**

**Tell me, I'm really interested to know also you will get that teaser!**

**Love, RBR XX**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi I'm back! I have to say that I was flabbergasted by the response I got for last chapter! I got seven reviews, SEVEN! That is definitely more than I expected. Thank you guys so much for your support!**

**I'd like to thank: Albany, FallingStar93, Mythomagic-Champion, MonssterUnderYourBed, She Weapon1, Optomistic Emo Kleptomaniac and Waterbottlesgalore for reviewing. Also many thanks to the people who've put this story on their favourite/alert list!**

**To tammy: I'm sorry for not replying to your review for chapter six, as it was annonymous the site didn't alert me to it and I saw it after I had posted chapter seven. If I had seen it earlier I would've replied to it in my A/N because I genuinely enjoy replying to my readers' reviews. Sorry again... **

**Hits Count: 2,405!**

**Disclaimer: I Don't own anything... except my not so lovely OCs in this chapter.**

**Warnings: I guess just the after effects of torture... yeah that's about it. **

* * *

It took a few seconds for Ben to comprehend the meaning behind Alex's words after he got over the shock of hearing Alex stutter twice in the same day. When realization dawned on him, anger flared within his chest and his hand shot involuntarily to the holster under his jacket. He felt the _need_ to hurt, no scratch that, _kill_ those men for torturing Alex and forcing him to live through hell for their own sick pleasure. However, he realized that starting a gun fight here, for the strangers were surely armed, wasn't a wise idea.

_Things could easily escalate out of control and civilians would inevitably get hurt,_ Ben reasoned with himself as he watched the strangers move to the counter and talk with the girl behind the cash register, they were showing her a picture. _Shit! They have a photo!_ _I must get Alex out of here quickly before he's recognized._

"Alex." He whispered but got no response from the shell-shocked teen. "_Alex!" _he repeated urgently as he grabbed the boy's shoulder.

Thankfully, the boy responded and soon Ben was staring at Alex's wide and terrified dull brown eyes.

"Listen to me carefully, there is a door behind you, I want you to open it and get the hell out of here." Ben motioned discreetly to a back door a few feet behind their booth.

Alex moved his head slowly to get a view of the door and barely managed to nod when he did.

"It will lead you through a store room and then outside to an alley. Head outside of it and to the main street, wait for me by the car. I'll be right behind you, alright?"

Alex nodded again, this time with a bit more will-power.

"Good. Now go, and no matter what you hear don't turn or look back."

Alex reached for his crutches and stood up with their aid, his movements were mechanical like he was just some robot carrying out his programmer's orders. Without hesitating, he made a bee-line for the door Ben mentioned earlier. He tried being as inconspicuous as possible, but it wasn't easy with the crutches adding bulk to his silhouette and hindering any stealth movements he had learned with the SAS.

Alex made it to the door. He reached out to the handle and turned it slowly with a sweaty hand, wishing desperately that the hinges were oiled and the door would not creak…

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" Cold fangs of fear sunk themselves into Alex's heart rendering him completely immobile for what seemed like ages. He turned around slowly to see the waiter from before stomping towards him, eyes narrowed and mouth set into a thin line.

"Can't you read? It says authorized personnel ONLY! Now get out of here before I call the police and have them arrest you for trespassing." The waiter exclaimed angrily.

Everyone present was now staring at the two, including the two strangers, who were now smirking evilly at Alex.

_Just like they used to when __**he**__ told them to have fun with me._ Alex remembered, shuddering at the memories that invaded his mind. He still had bruises from those days.

They were now advancing towards him, their hands inside their jackets undoubtedly clutching their weapons. As if they were silently warning the boy of the consequences of running away.

Alex found himself unconsciously backing away, his mind in disarray as he contemplated whether to run or surrender, because frankly he was tired. Tired of being manipulated. Tired of being tortured and most of all, tired of Kurst and his goons. He had no doubt at that moment that if there was any sharp object nearby at that moment, he would've shoved it straight through his heart without second thought. That is how desperate he'd become.

The waiter was still standing next to him, shouting at him to leave the parlor immediately. Well, he will be leaving soon, whether dead or alive, depended on the orders those men had received. Alex honestly couldn't decide which was worse.

"Hello Alex." The man on the right spoke first. He was tall, so tall in fact that he had to bend his neck in order to enter the shop a few seconds ago without hitting the door-frame, making him about six feet and two inches tall. He also had hair so light, that under the right degree of lighting, it appeared purely white. His eyes were a murky shade of green, but they were now covered by the shades that he was wearing. Alex knew him only as Pierce.

"Yeah, long time no beat brat!" The other man added in a mock cheery tone. He was more on the muscular side, with a highly toned body that gave off the impression that he was on steroids, which Alex thought probably wasn't far from the truth. He was bald and had a scar that ran all the way from his right temple to his lower lip. He looked South American and spoke with a slight Spanish accent. The name he went by was José.

Alex didn't, no, _couldn't,_ reply. He merely took a few steps back, shaking his head as if pretending that _they_ weren't right there in front of him, would somehow make them disappear. He almost yelped when his back connected with the door he had been trying to open minutes ago. They were standing a few feet from him, taking their time because they knew that there is no escape for him. They were two fit, experienced and dangerous men and he was just a pathetic little wounded boy in their eyes.

Alex would've loved to contradict what was undoubtedly going through his soon to be captors' minds, but staring at his reflection in the mirrored surface of the black shades each was wearing, he saw the look of genuine terror and helplessness in his own eyes. He saw the sweat dripping down his face and the uncontrollable shudder that shook his body. The only thing that he didn't see was Alex Rider.

It was then that Ben made his move. He had watched the whole ordeal from the booth waiting, with barely restrained self-control, for the perfect moment to act. He knew that if he acted too early then he'd lose the valuable element of surprise and the thugs might just shoot him first and ask questions later, but if he acted too late then Alex would be captured and he wouldn't be able to attack the men without harming Alex. So when opportunity presented its self Ben didn't hesitate.

The two men were standing next to each other, too occupied with the impaired teen in front of them to notice the MI6 agent approaching them from behind. When he was close enough, Ben launched himself at the pair, successfully tackling both of them to the polished tile floor.

"Alex, Run!" He exclaimed as he struggled with both men, trying with all his might to keep them from going after Alex.

Alex hesitated momentarily. A flash of worry appeared in his dark eyes before he stemmed it and turned to the door. The damned waiter was blocking his path.

"I don't know what the hell is going on, but-" That was as far as he got before Alex, purely out of frustration, drove his right crutch into the man's groin with as much as he could muster. The man crumpled instantly, his mouth opening and closing silently, in a pathetic resemblance of a fish out of the water.

Alex carefully stepped around him to get to the door and open it. He stepped inside, forcing himself to ignore the sound of the scuffle behind him. The door swung shut behind him and he had no time to contemplate Ben's fate any further, because just as his eyes adjusted to the grim darkness around him, he spotted a thin shaft of light filtering through a linear space at ground level on the opposite side of the room.

_Must be the door Ben mentioned. _Alex thought as he approached it, being very careful so that his legs, or crutches, would not get caught on anything in the murky room. He reached out with his right arm, leaning his right crutch momentarily against his thigh, and closed his trembling fingers around the cold handle and pushed open the door.

Bright sunlight blinded him and he lost a few valuable seconds waiting for the black spots in his vision to clear. When they did he stepped out into the alleyway Ben had told him about and indeed, when he turned his head to the right, he found the main street, still curiously empty.

Alex started moving towards it with an urgent gait, purposefully shutting out the part of his mind that told him that he was abandoning Ben. The man who had cared for him and had offered him something resembling a normal life. Even if it was for a few days, Alex had been truly grateful for each second of it. He wanted to go back in there and help Ben, but he knew that he would just be a burden on the older spy in his current state.

It was then that Alex heard it, echoing loudly in the empty alley and freezing him in his place, a single gunshot…

* * *

**Please don't kill me!**

**I'm sorry I left you hanging, again. However this is all I could write in the time I had so please understand. Also I will still include a teaser in my replies so review people I'd love to know what you think about this chapter or the story in general. It would be really nice to get 9 reviews for this chapter, just saying! (HINT HINT!)**

_**VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: K Unit was requested by one of the reviewers and I want to know what you think, so if you want me to include K Unit in this story mention it in your review. If at least five reviewers show interest I will incorporate them.**_

_**ANOTHER IMPORTANT THINGIE: I have a poll on my profile page and would really appreciate it if you guys would vote. It's about whether or not I should write an AR Fanfic. that includes the world of Formula 1. If I get enough positive votes, then I will make a start on it after DITV is done, BTW it's no where near it. So vote PLEASE! and if you wanna ask about any thing at all PM me!**_

**Sorry about the long note XD**

**Love, RBR XX **


	9. Chapter 9

**OMG It's been a really long time since I last updated and I'm extremely sorry for leaving you hanging for way too long after last chapter's cliff hanger. I had my mid-terms which thankfully I'm over and done with... **

**This chapter was really hard for me to write and I finally understand what prople mean when they say they have a severe case of writers' block but I'm all over it now so don't worry I am NEVER abandoning this fanfic!**

**I also want to thank the people who reviewed last chapter. I got 10 reviews! My thanks go to: Optomistic Emo Kleptomaniac, Sportmuffel, Mythomagic Champion, FallingStar93, She weapon1, Grim, Kenna, Nooryii and my guest reviewers. Thanks to everyone who's put this story on their Fav/Alert list!**

**And K Unit are going to be included in this story since so many people showed interest! **

_**Oh and one more thing: Could you please tell me what do you think of Alex and Ben's relationship? Do you think that it is going in a certain *cough* romantic *cough* direction from the way I've written their interactions? Would you like it to be that way or not? Please tell me in a review.**_

**Disclaimer: I'm a first year medical student I don't have time to even think about pursuing the rights to Alex Rider anymore(...sigh...)**

**Hits count: 3,563! **

**Warnings: None, except a slightly emotionally unstable Alex and Language.**

* * *

_He wanted to go back in there and help Ben, but he knew that he would just be a burden on the older spy in his current state._

_It was then that Alex heard it, echoing loudly in the empty alley and freezing him in his place, a single gunshot…_

_No, no, no, NO! Please no! Oh please don't be Ben! Oh God please let Ben be safe! Please…_ Alex pleaded silently, his vision beginning to blur with tears.

He stood rooted to the spot and even though the sun shone brightly and warmly over the small town, the temperature in the alley seemed to drop drastically and Alex found himself shivering in raw cold anxiety.

_He can't be dead. He was trained by MI6 and the SAS before them, so he can handle a two on one fight, right? _

Alex tried to reason with himself, but almost immediately a little sinister voice in his head replied, _No one is resistant to a bullet, no matter how well they are trained. He's dead and it's your fault! You could've helped him, evened out the odds a bit, maybe even saved his life, but you chose to run away like the coward that you are!_

_No! I-I would never abandon him! _Alex replied frantically as he turned around and began moving back towards the door.

He had only taken three steps when the door flung open with a loud bang. Alex's breath hitched in anticipation as his eyes tried to focus on the face of the figure that stumbled into the alley.

_Ben! _Alex relaxed as he noted the familiar short black hair and deep comforting blue eyes. He unconsciously did a mental check for any injuries and felt relief flood through his veins when he saw none, at least nothing significant, only a few scrapes here and there.

Ben, who was too preoccupied with making sure he wasn't followed, didn't notice Alex until he almost ran into him.

"Alex! What the fuck are you doing here? I told you to get to the car!" Ben exclaimed more in concern than anger.

"I heard the gunshot… and I-I thought that you…" Alex trailed away figuring that his meaning was obvious, besides, now that he was sure that Ben is alive, he didn't even want to think about the alternative.

At that realization the Liverpudlian's eyes softened a little, "Alex…" he called softly, his hand caressing the boy's blonde locks gently. Somehow that single word, filled with unspoken emotion and promise, was enough to instill calm in the teen spy's frantic heart. For now the fog of misery and fear has cleared and he was able to pull himself together.

"I'll be fine." Alex said more to reassure himself than to Ben.

Ben looked doubtful for a second and was about to voice his concern, but at the last second he decided against it and said instead. "Alright then we must hurry, I don't know how long it'll take for them to start following us."

"Why? What happened in there? You shot one of them? Is he dead?-"

"They're not dead." _Unfortunately. _"But I did knock them out. I'm going to call HQ as soon as we're somewhere safe so that they could send some agents to arrest those two for interrogation, but for now let's get out of here."

With that said Ben took a deep breath, slipped on his masks of indifference, before examining Alex once more, he was a little unnerved to see the teen's face devoid of emotion. However he had to admit that if they were going to make it back to his car without a hitch, then they mustn't draw attention to themselves and Alex in panic mode wouldn't be the way to do it.

He nodded to Alex and they both moved out of the alley and to the open street up ahead.

* * *

On the opposite side of the road and from the shadow of an old beech tree, a man watched a boy in his teen years and a man in his early twenties, emerge from the alley opposite him and next to a subtle ice-cream parlor neighboring Sainsbury's. It was the boy he was interested in.

He matched the picture he had been provided with perfectly. Fair hair with serious brown eyes and the blank expression that everyone in the world of espionage mastered, however he was cleaner now and there was a distinct lack of blood covering his body. This was Alex Rider, the reason Pierce, José and him were ordered to scour the English countryside and threatened with a slow excruciating death if they failed to find him. And here he was right there in front of him, relying on crutches to move his undoubtedly battered body, as if begging him to make a move. It was almost too perfect and too tempting.

But the man restrained himself, after all he wasn't going to make the same mistake his two partners did. He had heard everything through the almost invisible communicator stuck in his ear. He had warned them beforehand and specifically told them that any move they were going to make to capture the spy had to be thoroughly planned and that they had to report back to him if they stumbled on any clues leading to their target's whereabouts. Apparently he had only wasted his breath, because those two did the exact opposite of what they had agreed to, and now he had to deal with the repercussions. He wasn't going to die because those thugs couldn't capture a pathetic injured little kid.

The only problem was the man accompanying the boy. He literally had no information on him, he didn't even hear his name mentioned, not even once through the receiver. All he had was the physical description, black hair and blue eyes with a slightly pale complexion and a body that he could only link to that of a soldier. He wore the same expressionless façade as Rider.

_If he's a spy as well, then I must proceed with the utmost caution. _The man thought as he withdrew a nearly empty packet of luxury Dunhill cigarettes and casually stuck one into his mouth before he reached for the silver lighter in his pocket. He ignited the tip of the cigarette and inhaled one long drag of it. Feeling the acrid smoke trickle into his lungs and curl around for few seconds, before exhaling it with a pleasurable sigh. He watched the snake-like cloud of smoke dance in front of his shaded eyes with interest, imagining the gray tendrils wrapping around the body of the fair-haired boy who had become nuisance, not only to him but to the higher-ups as well. He imagined them tightening around Rider's neck, suffocating him till he started thrashing helplessly and whatever light left in his eyes was snuffed out.

With that image firmly imbedded into his sub-conscious, he took out his smart phone and took a quick picture of Rider and his associate, before making a couple of phone calls.

_Time to set the plan in motion._ He thought, a sadistic smirk gracing his lips. _Kurst will definitely be pleased and Hernandez has been missing his toy._

* * *

Alex was exhausted by the time they reached the area where Ben's black Range Rover was parked. His shoulders were shaking from the strain they have subjected to all day and his right thigh was beginning to throb with renewed intensity. He wasn't surprised, after all he hadn't had the chance to properly exercise his body ever since he was kidnapped more than a month ago. This has taken quite a toll on his muscles and he found that he was tiring more quickly and more easily than before. To make things worse, he had to rely on these stupid crutches which he was beginning to loath with each passing second.

Thankfully, Ben had been considerate of his current state and had suggested they take a shortcut through the currently deserted Greenwood Park, not only because Alex looked like he was about to collapse from the emotional and physical stress but to put as much distance as he could between themselves and the two thugs that he'd left unconscious on the tiled floor of the parlor. Right now they were nearing the eastern gate of the park, a few meters from which, Ben had parked his car.

Alex swung his crutches forward, the padded tips colliding with the cobblestone path with a shallow thud. He cursed silently with his mind as the wound in his left arm was strained by the jolt. It hadn't bothered him earlier, but now every little sting seemed to be multiplied tenfold. He just wished that the pain would ease a bit, but he wasn't about to whine about it. However, more than anything he wished he was home.

It came as a surprise to Alex that the image that flashed in his mind at the thought wasn't the house in Chelsea or even the Pleasures' house in San Francisco, it was Ben's. He had only spent a few days in it and never once had he even felt the slightest urge to leave. Ben had made sure that he was comfortable and above all he had understood what Alex has been through more than anyone else including Jack.

Alex glanced sideways at the Liverpudlian, he was currently preoccupied with a heated conversation on the phone. Alex had missed the first part of it as he'd been concentrating on ignoring the pain.

"… What do you mean you can't send in a team of agent's to investigate?" Ben was hissing into the receiver.

There was a brief pause as Ben listened to the reply, apparently it didn't satisfy him because he muttered something undoubtedly crude under his breath before replying. "Alright listen, just send someone to apprehend the two men I told you about. I'll speak with Mrs. Jones and take care of the rest."

Ben waited for the reply and nodded when he heard it. "Thanks O'Neil." He said and hung up with a frustrated sigh.

Alex looked expectantly at the older spy but when Ben refused to meet his gaze he asked, "What's wrong?"

Ben looked reluctant to answer for a while, choosing instead to focus on the tree-lined path ahead. When he finally answered, it was in a heavy tone that reflected his darkening mood, "Some terrorist group has sent a threatening message to Downing Street a few days ago, the sender's identity is unknown and the messege's contents are highly classified so only a selected few were given the right to read it. I'm guessing that from MI6, Mrs. Jones was the sole person to see it. Apparently that is the reason why the meeting in Birmingham was organized. And unfortunately because of this, MI6's operatives are spread thin trying to gather as much intelligence on the matter as possible, they don't have the time nor the resources to investigate Kurst's issue properly or provide backup if we need it." Ben sighed and raked a hand through his black hair in irritation before continuing "I had to pull a lot of favours to get someone to come here and seize those bastards for interrogation."

Alex nodded in understanding but didn't comment, it had gotten significantly darker since they entered the park and it wasn't just because there was a canopy of leaves concealing half of their view of the sky, but also because a few clouds had appeared, floating lazily across the before clear blue expanse above. As he watched, one slowly moved and obstructed his view of the sun, plunging the area around him in a dim hazy light.

"So what're we going to do?" He spoke finally with a dejected tone.

"The only thing that we _can_ do, take matters into our own hands."

"What do you mean?"

Ben turned his head as he walked so that he was holding Alex's gaze with his own, a reassuring smile graced his features as when he calmly said. "You'll see."

Alex didn't get a chance to answer because they were now standing outside the eastern gate of Greenwood Park and he could see Ben's Range Rover a few park spaces away. He let out a sigh of relief, thankful that he would finally be leaving this place and its dark memories behind.

He watched the Liverpudlian as he strode to unlock the black SUV and was about to follow, when the stench of tobacco smoke suddenly hit him.

Simultaneously, he felt the cold steel of a gun pressed against his temple and a thick arm snaked around his neck, tight enough so that he could just barely breathe. The body of his captor pressed against him intensifying the acrid smell of cigarettes but he didn't even cry out, too paralyzed by fear so that any rational thoughts seemed nonexistent to him. His blood ran cold and all he could focus on was Ben's back as he walked closer to his car, totally unaware of what is going on behind him.

"Miss me, Rider." His captor whispered into his ear.

Alex didn't respond…

* * *

**What will happen to poor Alex next? I'll leave you to ponder that XD**

**Don't forget to comment on Alex and Ben's relationship! I really need to know!**

**Thank you for reading!**

**Love, RBR XX**


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